


Tempus

by writtenbythesea2026



Category: Smallville, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Doomsday, F/M, Original Character(s), Post Episode - Doomsday, Season 9 AU, Sort Of, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 277,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27959357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writtenbythesea2026/pseuds/writtenbythesea2026
Summary: Doomsday has passed. Clark Kent is "dead". Lois Lane is missing. Can a girl from the future save her family in the past? Takes place right after Doomsday in S8.
Relationships: Clark Kent & Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Clois - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. Prologue - Tempus: Latin Word For Time

Title: Tempus

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Characters belong to WB/CW/Smallville people.

Summary: Doomsday has passed. Clark Kent is "dead". Lois Lane is missing. Can a girl from the future save her family in the past?

Rating: PG-13

Paring: Clark and Lois

Date 1st posted: May 28, 2009

* * *

**Prologue:** _Tempus: Latin word for 'time'._

A loud rumbling shook the house. She knew something wasn't right. He had been gone way too long. She looked to her mom and grandmother and quickly super-sped outside. She saw a mysterious woman in black standing over his red and blue figure and his face contorted like he was in so much pain.

"Oh my god," she whispered under her breath.

She sped to his side and as she was in the motion she used all her strength to push the woman away. The perpetrator went flying through the air and out of eye sight.

She knelt down next to him and cried, "Are you okay? Please…please be okay!"

The color started to come back to his face and his wounds started to heal. "You need to get back inside. I'll take care of this."

"Oh, come on. I just found you in pain in front of the barn, completely helpless and you're telling me to get back inside? I can help you, why don't you ever let me?"

He took her shoulders in his hands and looked straight into her eyes. "If anything ever happened to you I wouldn't forgive myself. You don't have to have this life. You can be normal. This is my job."

As she was about to say something back the woman returned, using a super-speeding ability comparable to the both of them. Her beady emerald eyes narrowed at her.

"That wasn't very nice." The woman said.

"Yeah, well, I'm usually not so pleasant to people who attack my family."

The woman smirked and glowed green. It was blinding and she suddenly got this horrible headache. She held her head in her hands and tried to focus through the pain as she saw the woman about to strike.

"I don't think so." She said with her teeth clenched as the headache grew more fierce.

The girl used all her strength and hit the mysterious woman first. It didn't seem to do much. She wasn't as strong as usual. The woman instead hit her and she went flying into the vast amount of crops in the field.

"What a biznatch." She said as she held her chest as she sat up.

She had to get back there. For all she knew he could be in the same vulnerable position she found him in earlier. It bothered her that he wouldn't let her ever help but she was finally going to prove to him that she could.

"Up, up and away," she said under breath as she flew towards them and picked the woman, soaring up high above the farm.

"I think you and I need to have a little talk." She said holding her grip on the woman and flying over the barn.

"Is that so?" The woman replied with her thin red lips smirking.

Suddenly there was the flash of green again and then the headache returned with force. The next thing she knew the woman had escaped her grasp and she was free falling over the barn. She felt the roof of the barn break underneath her, felt the stairs to the loft break, and then hit the hard floor. She coughed a couple of times and swatted at the dust in the air from the debris she caused. She stood up and brushed herself off. She was about to fly through the hole she just created when a familiar voice called out to her.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

She smiled at his voice. Even though she was still pissed at him, she was beyond relieved that he was okay and happy that he was worried about her.

She turned to face him expecting a hug, and then a lecture, but she was very surprised by what she saw. He certainly wasn't the guy she was expecting. Her smile fell from her face.

She just stared at him. She was in shock. She was totally confused.

"Are you okay? He asked again tentatively.

She looked up at the roof and then down at herself. "Yeah. I'm fine," she breathed out.

She could see that he was eying her suspiciously.

"What are you doing here? How exactly did you fall through the roof of my barn?"

"Um, I don't know. I should probably go." She said as she hurried out the open barn doors.

She didn't want him to chase after her, but she knew he would. She looked at her surroundings. It was creeping her out. It was everything she remembered. Everything was the same and yet at the very same time everything was very, very different.

"Hey! Wait." He called out. She stopped and turned to him. "Look, you can trust me. My name is Clark. Clark Kent."

She didn't need to know his name, she already knew it, but how could she tell him that? How could she tell him anything?

"Thanks, Clark, but I have to go. Sorry about the barn," She said and then she super-sped away.

She stopped at Glenmorgan Square in Metropolis. She stood in the center of all the people. She felt as if she was in slow motion and everyone else was speeding faster and faster around her. Her eyes drifted to the prompter that was scrolling the date and time.

**June 26th, 2009.**

It was the same day but a different year. Around twenty-five years too early.

"No way," she whispered to herself.

She walked around the city. This was her home, but, then no, it wasn't her home. She was so confused. How did she even get here? How was this possible? As she crossed streets all she could do was try and take in Metropolis, 2009.

She suddenly found herself in front of the Daily Planet. At least this was something she really recognized and had hardly changed. The only difference was the gigantic bulletin board in front of it on the sidewalk. Curious she gazed at all the pictures and names. The two things stood out the most were the word "Doomsday" and the picture of Lois Lane with the giant word MISSING underneath it.

Suddenly she felt like she couldn't breathe. Where exactly was she?


	2. Chapter One - They Shoot Sarcastic People, Don't They?

**Chapter One:** _They Shoot Sarcastic People, Don't They?_

As night fell on the city she didn't know if she should feel safe or not. Sure, some superhero guy would have to be out patrolling the streets, and yes, she did have powers, but the sheer fact that Doomsday could be around scared her to death. She knew all about Doomsday and what he was capable of. She knew he could be back at any moment. She used to have nightmares about that. To that monster she would be an annoying fly that it could swat. She wouldn't have a chance if he showed up. Plus, Lois Lane was missing because of him. How could _that_ be possible? How could **he** not find her?

"Okay, Callie, relax. This is just some weird dream." She tried to convince herself as she walked up the street. "Yeah, that's it. You fell through the roof and knocked yourself unconscious. When you wake up everything will be fine."

She probably looked like a mad woman talking to herself. It was a very hot June night, but she felt cold and alone. Where would she stay? How would she get any food? **Food.** Wow, was she starving. She quickly checked her pockets for money.

"Crap. I left it in the card on the table." She sighed, thinking back to the farm in her time.

She walked down the next alley she spotted and looked around to make sure no one could see her. She then used her power of flight to soar high above the buildings of Metropolis and headed to the only place she could think of where she felt safe.

She soon found herself perched on the roof of the barn right next to the hole she fell through. She honestly thought he would have patched that up by now, but obviously that wasn't one of his priorities at the moment. She stared at the sky and wondered if he was searching for her right now. When a girl super-speeds right in front of you some kind of alarm has to be ringing. She should have been more careful, but hey, she was kind of freaked out at the moment. After a while she looked to the house and realized it was still dark.

"Hmm, must be patrolling Metropolis." ' _Or hopefully looking for her,'_ she then thought.

Her eyes went back to the sky and then slowly turned to the house again. Well, she _was_ really hungry and he _wasn't_ home at the moment. She jumped off the roof and quietly walked to the side door. Her hand reached out to turn the knob but then she pulled it back quickly, almost as if the knob was red hot. Her stomach growled and her mind was made up.

Like always, the door wasn't even locked. She crept inside and looked around. Listening _very_ closely she could officially tell that no one was home. Her eyes locked with the refrigerator and she dove for it. She opened the fridge to see that it was mostly empty.

"Looks like someone forgot to go shopping."

She spied a sub sandwich wrapped up on the shelf. "Don't mind if I do," she said as she quickly grabbed it. She unwrapped the sandwich as fast as she could and took a giant bite out of it. Meatball parmigiana. "Mmmm. That hits the spot."

Suddenly the lights turned on.

' _Crap!_ ' she thought.

"So, I guess we meet again."

She turned around to see Clark Kent standing before her. He was dressed in a very dark outfit, black shirt and jeans, with a dark trench coat to match. This was definitely something she was not used to. The only familiarity was the hand drawn symbol on his chest. She put down the sandwich and stared at him, not making a sound.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"My name is Callie" was all she offered.

"And what exactly are you doing here, Callie?"

She picked up the sandwich again, "Having a _sandwich_?"

His face didn't change. It was very stoic. It actually was starting to scare her a bit. She put the sandwich down again and stared in his eyes. There was no change in them, almost like they had no life. They were very closed off.

" _Okay._ I was kind of going for a joke on that one. Alright, well sorry for the whole breaking and entering thing. I was just really _hungry_ and really _broke_. I'll just be going now. I'm really sorry," She rambled as she pointed toward the door.

Then with a _whoosh_ Clark was in front of the exit.

"I don't think so." He said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Huh. Okay. Lesson learned on the B&E, trust me. I didn't realize how attached you were to the sandwich. I'll replace it. So, let me just-" She trailed in her speech as she tried to get around him to the door. He didn't budge and she was starting to get irritated. "Don't you have anything better to be doing right now?"

' _Like I don't know, looking for Lois Lane'_ she thought.

"That's funny. You're acting like a victim in all of this."

"I am. I'm a victim of society. Honestly, I blame television and that damn rock music kids listen to nowadays. It's led me down the dark path of stealing sandwiches. I've seen the light now, though."

Then she saw it, a flicker of something in his eyes. She had to push his buttons to get emotion.

' _This should be fun_.'

"Quit the sarcasm."

"Quit the whole _vampire detective_ look." She said using her knowledge of television during this time. "That really isn't your color anyway. Leave that to the _Dark Knight_ ," she continued.

"Who?" He asked, confused.

' _Crap'._ She said something about the future unintentionally. "Nothing," she replied.

She went to move again, but he moved to block her.

"How did you run so fast before?"

"How did you?" She challenged him.

There it was again, the flicker. Callie started to feel more confident in front of him and crossed her arms in front of her chest, reflecting what he was doing.

"I don't feel like playing games here. I want to know how you fell through the roof and why you broke into my house."

Callie stayed silent.

" **Last chance**." He demanded.

"Fine! Would you believe some crazy flying chick in black somehow glowed green and teleported me from where I was to the air right above your barn?" She looked at his face that didn't seem to register what she had just described. "Yeah, thought so."

"What did she look like?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "She had dark hair, beady green eyes, and still needs to have her face rearranged by my fist."

In that moment if Callie had blinked she would have missed it. He actually slightly smirked at her comment.

"You'll stay here tonight." He said as he moved out of her path and toward the living room.

She was dumbfounded. "Really? Just like that. I tell you some freaky story about a flying she-devil who can teleport people and not only are you not calling the closest mental hospital, but you're telling me to stay?"

"Believe me; weirder things have happened around here."

She couldn't believe it, not from her first impression of the 2009 version of Clark Kent. She scoffed in awe. "You're really something you know that?"

He turned to her with a confused expression on his face. "What do you mean?"

"It's just, you come in here all callous and dark, but when it comes to someone in need you're right there for them. Maybe you should rethink the wardrobe and put on some _happy_ colors."

"This is a one time only thing." He said as he went up the stairs. "Linens are in the closet," was the last thing she heard him say before she heard his door click.

She looked over to the clock. _Midnight_. She looked up the stairs and half expected to see him come down donning his red and blue and telling her that he would be back. Moreover, what was up with the whole letting a strange girl who he's never met before in his life just crash on the couch?

"Weird." That was all she could say.

She glanced at her environment. She did feel safe being there, but there was no way she's going to sleep tonight, not when Lois Lane was missing. ' _Add that to the list of weird. Why aren't you looking for her?'_ She wondered glancing at a picture of the whole Kent family.

Callie went over to the couch and sat down. She looked to her left and looked to her right. "Yeah, this isn't going to work. I can't just sit here."

With one last look up the stairs she opened the front door, closed it behind her, and in a flash set off on her search.


	3. Chapter Two: And I Still Can't Find What I'm Looking For

**Chapter Two** : _And I Still Can't Find What I'm Looking For_

After a small trip around the globe, Callie came up with nothing, but she wasn't giving up yet. However, she _was_ exhausted. As the sun began to rise, she walked through the front door of the Kent house and found Clark sitting on the couch with his famous blue t-shirt on.

"Where did you go?" He asked semi-worried, but staring straight ahead instead of looking at her.

"Gee, it sounds like you were worried about me. Huh, I didn't think that was possible. Though, if you must know, I was looking for someone. They went missing after the whole Doomsday fiasco, apparently."

His eyes shot up to hers. ' _Hmm, I struck a chord. At least he's not_ _ **all**_ _dead inside.'_

"You lost someone that day?"

"She's _missing_ ," Callie said, enunciating the word. She then continued, "but I firmly believe she'll turn up. She has to."

She saw him get a grieved look on his face as his eyes diverted to the floor. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

He nodded slightly and rose from the couch. He silently moved out of the room, cold and distant again.

Then it clicked in her head. He blamed himself. The whole Doomsday thing, Lois missing, he put it all on himself. Before she could open her mouth to say something, there was a knock at the door. Since Clark didn't seem to want to be bothered with it she was left to answer it.

"Don't worry I'll get it... because now I'm _Alfred_." She whispered sarcastically to herself.

She opened the door to reveal a short blonde woman. ' _Chloe Sullivan'_ Callie thought automatically. She could tell by the look on Chloe's face that she was surprised to find her answering the door. Callie moved awkwardly having to now explain her presence, and sidestep her identity, to another person.

"Uh, hi. I'm looking for Clark."

"Broody McGee just left the room."

Chloe's smile was friendly and she seemed to, momentarily, stare at Callie as if she were looking at someone else. She then shook herself back to reality and introduced herself. "I'm Chloe."

"Callie."

"So, you know Clark?" She asked eyeing Callie.

"We sort of met yesterday. He's _helping_ me out."

Chloe's eyes sparkled at her response. "He's helping? Like actually caring?"

"Yeah, well he sort of seemed worried when I snuck out last night…"

"Wow. That's…that's great!" She said smiling brightly.

Callie could tell that Chloe was way too happy that Clark was helping someone. How long had he been Mr. Stone Cold?

"Not to put a damper on your mood, but he's still pretty closed off."

"Yeah, but some improvement is better than no improvement."

Callie nodded understanding what she meant.

"What are you doing here?" Clark asked in his monotone voice as he was coming down the stairs.

"I know it's really early, but I hadn't heard from you in a while and I wanted to see how you were. I also have something for you, from Oliver." She said, clutching a manila envelope.

"I'm fine and I don't need anything from Oliver. You can go now."

Callie was taken aback. She turned to Chloe and she could see the hurt look on her face. She suddenly felt compelled to say something. His face might be similar to the man she knew from her time, but this wasn't Clark Kent. Maybe that was why she felt emboldened to speak out.

"Someone needs an attitude check." She said loud enough for him to hear.

He turned around, his attention clearly caught. "Excuse me?"

"Chloe came over here because she cares about you. _Cares_. Do you need Webster to define it for you?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about, so stay out of it." He growled.

"Sure, I don't. I've known you for like, what, 2.5 seconds and I've already got you pegged."

"Really, I'd love to hear this." He said, folding his arms again.

"You care a lot about people and about helping them, but something bad happened and maybe someone got hurt and you blame yourself. So you close yourself off, wear your 'I'm angry at the world' outfits, and totally go back on everything you once believed in." She turned to Chloe. "You know him. How did I do?"

Chloe's mouth opened, closed and then opened again. "Pretty good."

Callie looked at Clark. The flicker in his eye was back. His only response, though, was to turn around and leave.

"Cool, so you know I'm right and you walk away."

That stopped him in his tracks. He turned around slowly, with a storm brewing in his blue-green eyes. "You don't know me. Get out and take Chloe with you."

"Awesome." Callie said as headed for the door. Before she left she turned around and said, "You know, I really pity anyone out there hoping that you'll come and rescue them because you're no hero, you're a **coward**."

Callie knew those words would sting, for him and for her. She closed the door behind her following Chloe down the steps.

"You know that was pretty good for someone who has only known Clark for, how long was it, 2.5 seconds?"

"What can I say," she shrugged, "I can read people."

"Yeah." Chloe said, her mind trailing off somewhere.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's just, the way you talked to him, that whole interaction, it reminded me of someone."

"Oh." Callie whispered, realizing who it was that Chloe was referring to.

They walked in silence down the driveway until Chloe finally turned to Callie. "I hope I'm not prying, but what exactly was Clark helping you with?"

Instead of verbally telling her she pointed to the gaping hole in the barn's roof.

"A hole in the roof? Why would he be helping you with that?"

"Well, because I sort of did it." She could tell by Chloe's face that she still wasn't getting it. So, she explained, "I fell through the roof of the barn and Clark found me yesterday. I then ran away and when I had no place else to go I was sort of drawn back here and that's when Clark caught me on the premises."

"What exactly caused you to fall through the roof of the barn? I'm assuming this isn't a sky diving lesson gone wrong, right?"

She knew that Chloe had experienced many strange occurrences in Smallville over the years, plus knew Clark's secret, so the weird scenario she was about to divulge was going to be 'freak of the week' material.

"This is going to sound crazy, but it was some flying mystery woman who glows green and likes to give me a headache."

"You don't know who she is?"

"Nope, hence the whole Clark helping me thing."

"Huh." She said in thought, "So, where did you come from that you ended up in Smallville?"

"That's a bit complicated." Callie said, beginning to walk down the driveway again.

"Really?" Chloe asked, catching up with her.

She knew that she had opened up a can of worms revealing her predicament. The blonde had been a reporter in the past, once she was curious about something she would dig to get to the root, looking for more needed to dodge the rapid fire of questions that were bound to come her way."Yeah, look, it was nice talking to you, but I have something I have to do. Maybe I'll see you around."

"I can give you a ride." Chloe offered.

"No thanks." She said

Probably sensing she was not going to get anything more out of Callie she opened her driver's side door. She stopped and turned to the girl once more,"Okay. Look, with the way that Clark has been acting, if you need any help, you can find me at the Talon in town."

"Thanks."

Chloe nodded as she got into her car. She stared at Callie one more time, before backing down the driveway.

Once Callie saw Chloe was out of eyesight she sped to the Daily Planet. She really didn't know why she was there, but it was as if something was calling out to her. She walked the stairs down into the basement and viewed the hustle and bustle of the bull pen. She smiled remembering many experiences like this, but on a different floor. Not exactly knowing what she was looking for she figured she'd start with what she did know. Clark and Lois worked across from each other at the Daily Planet in the basement in 2009 and when it came to being a reporter, Lois was a workaholic. If there was any place she would have been the day she was missing, it was the Daily Planet.

' _Okay, time to put on the investigative reporter cap'_ Callie thought to herself. ' _Rule number three, 'Do whatever it takes to get the story' and right now that story is 'Where is Lois Lane?'.'_

As she walked up to where Lois' desk would be, she saw someone else sitting there.

"Excuse me, but I thought this was Lois Lane's desk."

The man turned to her and said, "It was, but I was assigned to it. Can I help you?"

Callie shook her head 'no' and looked to the desk that was supposed to be Clark's. She frowned when she noticed his name plate wasn't there. As she turned to leave a security camera at the elevators caught her eye.

' _If Lois had been at the Daily Planet then it would have been caught on video_.' She thought.

She quickly made her way to the elevator and then to the security desk on the first floor. She looked around and when she saw the coast was clear she sped in and found the usb marked with the date with footage she needed.

However, instead of leaving quickly she hid the device in her pocket, got into the elevator, and punched in familiar numbers. She closed her eyes and waited patiently for the doors to 'ding' and open up. When they did she opened her eyes and stepped out. She watched all the people working and rushing to get things done. She smiled as her eyes landed on an office with two very familiar desks.

Not that the elevator was a time machine, but she was really hoping to see the two people she needed the most at the moment come out of the Editor's office, walk in and sit down across from each other. As an alternative, she found two completely strangers there. She sighed sadly and stood there for a bit. Luckily, nobody even noticed she was there. When she felt composed enough she got back into the elevator and went down to the lobby. She needed to focus on the footage she had in her possession. She quickly exited the building, but now that she had the video she needed to figure out where she was going to view it.

She couldn't just go and get equipment; she didn't even know what equipment to really get. She was from a different time, everything in 2009 seemed ancient to what she was used to. She thought about going back into the Daily Planet and finding some tech whiz-kid to help her, but there was no guarantee she could use her skills of persuasion without any questions asked. Plus, she couldn't say that she knew anybody who worked there to back up her story. Looking up at all the buildings in the city she found her answer: the Watchtower. She kicked herself for not thinking of it before. Super-speeding in she saw a bunch of computers piled up, obviously Justice League related.

"How did you know about this place?" She heard Chloe's voice say behind her, surprised to see her.

Callie stilled. She grimaced and shut her eyes, walking right into a situation she had been trying to avoid. She hadn't thought through her plan well enough. Of course she would run into Chloe. She kicked herself for the second time. She took a deep breath and turned around.

"Look, I know you don't know anything about me and you have no reason to trust me, but I…I…" Callie sighed, "It's just so complicated. I kind just need you to trust me."

Chloe eyed what Callie was holding. "What's that?"

"It's security footage of the basement of the Daily Planet on Doomsday."

"Why do you have that?"

"Because I'm looking for Lois Lane." She said with conviction.

Chloe's eyes widened. "Why?"

Callie didn't want to tell her the true reason why, so she tried to work her answer around it. "I know that she went missing on Doomsday and I know that Clark worked across from her. I think that if we can find her and make sure that she's okay then Clark won't blame himself as much. Maybe he'll, I don't know, wake up."

Chloe scoffed. "That's asking a lot from just finding Lois."

"Believe me. She has a certain affect on him."

"How do you even know that?" Chloe asked. Callie made a face indicating she couldn't say. "Right, right, it's complicated."

"I think she was at the Daily Planet, so if we can find the footage, I think we may be able to find at least what happened."

"Hate to break it to you, but I've been through the footage. There's nothing there, I've already looked. A giant gap of time is missing from the tape."

"So, wait, if pieces of video are missing, shouldn't that set off alarms? Obviously someone tampered with it. I think we should look at it anyway. Maybe someone missed something."

"Okay." Chloe said. By the way her voice sounded, she didn't believe they were going to find anything.

Chloe cued up the video. As she went through it frame by frame they saw that Lois was indeed at the Daily Planet, since there was footage of her at the elevators. However, right before the video cut out Callie noticed something, rather someone.

"Wait! Go back to that last frame, the one at the doorframe, by the windows." Callie got closer to the screen and looked at the angle. "There's a reflection. Can you zoom in?"

"I can try." Chloe said as she used her computer tech skills. "Good eye." She held her breath as the picture came in clearer. "Tess Mercer," she breathed out as she quickly printed the image.

The name sounded familiar to Callie, as well as the blurry redhead on the screen. She just couldn't place it.

"Where can I find her?" Callie said getting ready to leave as she took the photo from the printer.

"Look, we don't for sure that she's connected to Lois' disappearance, I mean she has many reasons for being at the Planet. Besides, she may be a bit more dangerous than you can handle. The reason I came to Clark's this morning was that I wanted to give him something that potentially has something to do with Tess."

Chloe pulled out the manila envelope she had with her this morning. "I don't why I'm showing you this, but something tells me I should." She handed it to Callie.

Callie opened it up and pulled out what looked like satellite photos. "What are these?"

"Images caught from Oliver Queen's satellite after Doomsday. Skip to the last one, the Luthor Mansion."

Callie pulled out the last photo. It was a Kryptonian symbol etched in the grass. "Oh my god."

Surprised, Chloe asked "Do you know what that means?"

Callie looked up at Chloe worried. "That's the symbol for Zod."

"How do you-? You know what," She began, putting her hands in the air like she was surrendering, "Clark's not talking to me, but you have a chance. He needs to know about this. He's the only one who can defeat him." Chloe pleaded.

Callie put the photos back in the envelope. "I'll get them to him immediately." As Callie was about to walk away Chloe asked her to wait. She went over to the corner and pulled a sheet off a box. She lifted it up and brought it over to Callie.

"This is Lois' stuff from the Daily Planet. I don't know why you're looking for her, but maybe something in here will help you. I've been through it all, too many times." Her eyes began to water, but she blinked the moisture away. "I haven't been in the best state of mind since everything happened. Hopefully you'll catch something I didn't."

"Thank you, Chloe." Callie looked down at the box. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"Yeah, I do. Any way, if you need me, you obviously know where you can find me." She said, her eyes darting from one side of the room to the other and then smiling, indicating that Callie would find her in the Watchtower.

"Um, not that I don't appreciate this, and I'm probably shooting myself in the foot for even asking this, but, why are you so quick to trust me? I mean it's not just you, but even Clark, it's all no questions asked with you guys and shouldn't you be more cautious?"

"You're one hundred percent right. Especially after everything that's happened. But I saw the way that Clark reacted toward you and I've only ever seen one other person do that to him. And that gives me hope. You said you're looking for Lois and I believe you. We're working towards the same goal and there is strength in numbers there. So, for now, I trust you. Mysterious presence or not."

Callie smirked. "Thanks again."

"Any time." She said as Callie left.

Callie sped back to the Kent farm. Gripping the photos and box in her hands she walked in the house and called Clark's name, but there was no response. Looking throughout the whole farm Clark was nowhere to be found. ' _Well if he's not here I guess it's all up to me now.'_ Skipping over the debris in the barn she settled in the loft. Spreading out the satellite images and the print out from the security camera she joined them with the contents of the box.

"This is all connected somehow, I just know it."

After hours of examining all the objects she still came up with nothing. She wanted nothing more than to burst into the Luthor Mansion and search for more clues, but she knew better than that, she was taught better than that. She needed Clark. He already had an established relationship with Tess probably, if he could just come back she could give him all the evidence. However, he wasn't the Clark she knew. What he might do with all the information was questionable.

Callie stared back at all the objects and picked up a black case. She opened it up to find nothing but an empty slot, like something you'd put a ring into. She shut it and threw it back in the box. It was hopeless. She was kidding herself. She was nowhere near the kind of reporter Lois or even Clark was. She was a disappointment. How could she even think she could be a hero? Yes, she had powers, but who was she helping? She couldn't get home to her time to help her family, and she couldn't help Lois or Clark in this time. She placed her head in her hands. She shook her head. "No, you can't think like that." She whispered to herself.

Frustrated she got up and walked around and stumbled into a box marked "Kara". Curious she opened it up to find clothes. She looked down at her own apparel to see that she hadn't changed since the day before. Picking out a few garments she decided to take a break, have a nice long hot shower, and change into some new clothes. If Clark came home, then she'd tackle him with all the information she had gathered.

* * *

Moving all the things to the dining room table Callie was in the same position she was hours before, she still couldn't find what she was looking for. Even after a nice hot shower and a change of clothes, she nowhere as rested as she hoped she'd be. Though, that was probably also attributed to the fact that she hadn't slept. She glanced at the clock.

 _Ten o' clock_ and still no Clark.

She had found a police radio in the barn a couple hours before and had listened to certain crimes being handled by the time cops were on the scene, but there was no sign of the 'Red-Blue Blur', just assumptions that it could be him, a blur absent of his original colors. Staring at all the things spread across the table, Callie's eyes began to become heavy. Before she could stop herself she fell asleep.


	4. Chapter Three: Like a Nerf Ball to the Head

**Chapter Three** : _Like a Nerf Ball to the Head_

Clark entered the house and took off his trench coat. He felt weird about not wearing his red and blue, but with Clark Kent being dead, so was the Red-Blue Blur. Being the Red-Blue Blur wouldn't be the same, not with her gone.

As he walked through the house he found Callie at the dining room table asleep. She was lying on top of a bunch of papers and objects he didn't recognize. He wasn't exactly surprised to see her. Even though they had argued that morning, he somehow knew she'd be back and it didn't bother him like he thought it would. After what she said, he knew she wasn't going to give up on him. That was the way he used to be, the way he was starting to be again.

He felt a familiarity about her. He wasn't quite sure what, but he couldn't turn his back on her just like she wasn't turning her back on him. He'd looked into her story, but nothing had come up from her description, plus it didn't help that she hadn't actually told him where she was from in the first place. It was a mystery, but he was willing to solve it, surprising himself.

Taking the red blanket from the couch he draped it over Callie's shoulders. "Night," he whispered. He moved up the stairs and into his room. He collapsed on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Every night he patrolled Metropolis, stopping crimes and being the hero he thought he should be, but something inside him didn't feel right. It had been a month since Doomsday, since Jimmy died, since Lois went missing. It haunted him everyday, every night. Closing his eyes he pushed his thoughts out of his mind and concentrated on just getting some sleep.

_Clark suddenly realized he was on the streets of Metropolis. Looking at his watch it read 11:58. He had to get to the phone booth. Lois would be there waiting for him and he knew it was time to reveal his secret to her. Speeding down the street he hid behind the nearest building and watched as she paced back and forth._

" _It's now or never," he whispered to himself._

_Speeding toward her he saw her hair fly in the air and how she suddenly looked around for him._

" _Hello? Are you here?"_

_Clark put his back to the phone booth and said, in deep voice, "Miss Lane."_

_Lois smiled as she turned around and saw his red jacket pressed against the back of the phone booth._

" _You came! I honestly didn't know if you would. I was hoping you would and now you're here, and…" she took a deep breath to pace herself, "I'm rambling again. I really need to learn to stop doing that."_

_Clark smiled to himself and said, "I think it's cute."_

_Lois' smile widened. "You do?" She breathed, dipping her face down as she blushed a bit. "Look, I know this is probably really hard for you, but I promise, anything you say or anything I see, it's strictly between us, totally off the record."_

" _I appreciate that."_

" _I mean, if you're saying goodbye and all. I just—I just want to see the face of the person who has been keeping an eye on me."_

_And with that Clark moved his back from the phone booth and walked around its corner, completely facing Lois._

" _Smallville?" She said in disbelief. "What are you doing here? Where's the Red-Blue Blur?"_

" _Lois… I'm the Red Blue Blur."He said sincerely._

_Lois let out a laugh. "Yeah, and I'm Cleopatra, Queen of the—whatever. Clark this isn't funny. If he sees me with you he's going to think that I'm betraying him or something."_

" _Lois, I'm not kidding. I'm the Red-Blue Blur."He insisted._

" _Oh yeah, prove it."_

_As Clark was about to answer, screams and the sound of glass shattering interrupted their conversation._

" _Doomsday" Clark whispered._

_Suddenly he saw him, the ugly creature that he was. The monster that created all the destruction before him. Picking up a car, Doomsday threw in his direction and directly towards Lois. Clark swiftly got in front of it, stopping it from hitting them._

_Lois turned to Clark with wide eyes and her mouth gaped open. "I guess I should stop calling you 'Smallville'."_

_Clark pushed the car away from them and turned to Lois. "You have to get out of here."_

" _But Clark… the letter…you said you weren't as invincible as you thought." Tear filled her eyes as she whispered to him, "I don't want you to die."_

_Looking back at Doomsday and then to Lois, he put his hands on Lois' face and kissed her deeply. Forcing himself to pull away he locked eyes with her and said, "Go."_

_The tears escaped her eyes as his hands fell from her face, but she obeyed and turned to run away._

_Clark turned back to Doomsday. With a scowl on his face he sped towards him ready to fight, but with one rapid punch Doomsday sent him flying into a building._

" _Clark!" He heard Lois scream. Not only did he hear it, but it also caught Doomsday's attention._

_Seeing this Clark pushed the debris off of him and screamed "Lois!"_

_He sped out as fast as he could but Doomsday already had an unconscious Lois in his grasp. Clark wanted to use his heat vision but he couldn't risk Doomsday using her as a shield. Then Clark saw it, Doomsday was about to kill her and he was powerless to stop it. It was like everything around him became slow and he couldn't move or turn away. Doomsday lifted Lois above his head and-_

Suddenly something hit Clark in the face, breaking him out of his dream. He opened his eyes to find Callie, _floating_ in a sitting position at the edge of his bed holding a Nerf gun that he and Pete used to use as kids. He looked at his alarm clock. _4:30._

"Oh, good, you're up." She said casually, like she wasn't aware at how early in the morning it was or that she had just pelted him with an object from a children's toy.

He should be furious with her, but, boy, did she have impeccable timing.

"What are you doing and how are you doing _that_?" He asked annoyed and puzzled.

Callie landed on her feet and pulled the covers off of him. "Time to get up."

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

He had only just met this girl and she was already comfortable enough to use unorthodox methods to wake him. And she had been floating. That alone made him question everything about her and why she appeared on his farm. He had let it all go in a weak moment when he had returned home, but now he could feel the exasperation with her presence creeping back in.

"There's something you need to see." She said.

"I think it can wait." He said turning away from her in his bed.

"It's about Lois." She said softly.

Clark sprung up, his eyes staring at her so intently that he was worried one of his powers might be triggered.. "How do you know about her? Who are you?"

"I'm the person who's looking for her and I have a lead. Now if you would so graciously follow me to the dining room where I embarrassingly fell asleep on the evidence, I can show you what I found out."

Clark slowly got up still eyeing her. He'd been searching for Lois for over a month, how does this girl appear out of thin air and get a lead on Lois' whereabouts? Were his feelings getting in the way of his judgment again? Who was this girl? How did she even know Lois?

He followed her down the stairs and saw that all the objects he had seen before were organized on the table. He now noticed that the objects had come from Lois' desk. He saw Callie pick up a photo and hand it to him.

"I talked to Chloe. She helped me get an image from the video I sort of smuggled out of the Daily Planet. It was all very Nixon-y with gaps in the tape, but we managed to find a reflection of someone before the video went out."

"Nixon-y?"

"I'm a history nerd." She supplied with a shrug.

Clark stared at the image. It was Tess Mercer. Granted there was no suspicious reason for her to be at the Planet, but with the way she had been acting toward him, she could definitely be involved in Lois' disappearance somehow.

"But that's not all." Callie added, handing him another photo. "Chloe came here yesterday to give you that and it's not good. It's a satellite photo of the Luthor Mansion."

Clark took the next photo and was stunned. "Zod." He whispered.

Maybe Tess was more involved than he thought.

Clark looked up at Callie, his suspicions reignited. "What do you know?"

"I know Zod's a bad guy. _And_ , I know you defeated him last time," he looked at her unconvinced and she added, "I talked to Chloe remember? She wanted me to get this to you and she might have filled in some informational gaps. So, if Tess is involved with not only this but also Lois, it's not really looking good in our favor."

" _Our_ favor?" he asked, raising his eyebrows to her.

"Yeah, you and me." She smiled.

"I don't think so." He said moving from the table.

She followed and began to argue. "Oh come on. I have powers, you have powers, put them together and what do you get? Two _super_ people who can stop the big baddie."

"Look. I don't want to get you involved. **This is my job**." He said, not wanting to discuss it any further.

Suddenly, she looked at him strangely. "Unbelievable." She whispered. Recovering from whatever it was he said to make her stunned, she said, "If we work together we can stop Zod, and everyone you care about can be safe."

"I don't care about anyone right now, that's the plan." He said, thinking about everything that had happened.

"What does that even mean? How does that even work? How can you not care, _especially_ when you just found out Zod, your **enemy** , could be coming, or worse, could already be here!"

"The side that makes decisions based on emotion, that's my enemy." He said in a low voice with his head down.

"Oh, so you're blaming your emotions now, huh? Emotions make you into the person you are. They make you into the hero you could be." Callie said stepping toward him.

" **No** ," He said, lifting his head up. "They're what's stopping me from being the hero I could be."

" _Whatever_ , it's a stupid plan." She said turning away from him and back to the table.

"It's what the world needs now!" He said firmly.

He saw her clench her fist. She whirled herself around and used her pointer finger on her other hand to start poking him in the chest as she spoke. "What the world _**needs**_ is for you to snap out of it and get a grip on reality. Things happen, Clark. Things that we cannot control. You can't go off and blame your emotional side _._ The world needs a hero who cares. They need someone to believe in. How can they believe in you when you don't even believe in yourself?"

"Why don't you just calm down!" He said as he swatted away her finger. "What do you know anyway?" He then said, throwing the photos on the table, not wanting to hear anything else enlightening she had to say to him. He put his head in his hands and groaned. ' _That was a weird déjà vu moment.' H_ e thought.

"I know something my dad told me once. He said ' _the lessons we learn from pain are the ones that make us the strongest_ '."

Clark mulled over the words she had just said. He had heard them before. He had heard them from _Jor-El._

"Where did you hear that from?"

"My… _dad_." She said, giving him another strange look.

' _Is Jor-El her father? That's not possible.'_ Clark thought. She did have powers and there were similar to his... he shook his head trying to get rid of the thought. He couldn't deal with _this_ now. It was too much. He didn't need some stranger lecturing him on pain and it didn't matter who she was.

"Yeah, well from all the pain I've had in my life I should be _very_ strong, but I'm not."

"That's because you're not working to your potential. You can do so much, you're just too scared."

He didn't want to admit it, but she was right. He was scared but how did she know that? How did she know him so well? _Were_ they related? It wouldn't be the first time he stumbled upon someone who he was related to.

"You seem to know a lot about me. What about you? Why are you so determined to find Lois and fight by my side against Zod?"

He could see that he caught her off guard. If there was anything he was going to do it was finding out who this mysterious girl was.

"Well the whole fighting Zod thing should be pretty obvious. He wants to destroy the world and dying at this stage in my life isn't an option."

"And Lois?" He pressed.

"She important, you know. The world needs her." She said then turned away from him.

If he didn't have super hearing he would have missed the next thing she said, "I need her," he heard her whisper.

"Why do you need her?" He asked, not being subtle to fact he heard her.

" _Super-hearing… right_." She smirked then continued, "Look, I want to tell you everything, I really do. It's just, that you can't know. I know it's a lame excuse, but you just have to go with me on this. I don't want to put anyone at risk. I just want to help find Lois, stop Zod, and then go _home_."

She stepped over the window and just stared out of it. He could tell she was staring at the barn.

"Can't you at least tell me something…anything? If we're going to find you a way home I'll need some type of solid information."

He saw her take a deep breath as she turned to face him, wiping a tear from her face.

"I'm from the future." She said.

Suddenly, Clark felt like he'd been hit in the head by another Nerf ball. No wait, not a Nerf ball, more like a bowling bowl or cannon ball or anything hard and heavy.

' _Did she just say she was from the future?'_


	5. Chapter Four: Anything Lost Can Be Found Again

**Chapter Four: _Anything Lost Can Be Found Again_**

Stunned. That was what he was. No wait, not stunned, he was shocked, or shaken, or any word that could match it in the thesaurus. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Callie had just stood in front of him and said "I'm from the future." He stared at her until some of the paralysis he was in started to wear off.

"Uh, wow, wasn't expecting that." Clark said as he watched her awkwardly look around the room until her eyes fell back on him.

"Yeah, well, you asked me and what you said is true, if you're going to help me find a way home, you needed to know that much."

"Thank you."

Callie half smiled and went back to the table and stared at all the objects strewed out in front of them.

"You ready to tackle this with me?"

Clark silently went over to the table and sat down going through Lois' things. He picked up her press pass and stared at her face. It was a face that he hadn't seen in weeks and a voice that he surprisingly longed to hear. It was like the saying, "You don't know what you have until it's gone". He never realized how he felt about Lois, really felt about her, at least not until she had gone missing. Who knows, maybe he had felt it, but the whole Lana thing was always a factor. Lana. There was a name he hadn't thought of in a while. His mind had been so preoccupied with the consequences of Doomsday that Lana was a distant memory. 'I guess this is what it's like to move on´ he thought.

As the sun began to rise the light mystically illuminated a black case through the window. Clark reached for the case and examined it. He knew exactly what it was. It was the case that had the Legion ring that Rokk had given him. He was supposed to use it to send Doomsday to the future, but he had tucked it away in his desk instead. 'Why is this with Lois' things?' He wondered.

As he was about to open it when he heard a scratching and whining at the door. 'Shelby,' he thought. He placed the case back on the table and went to the door, opening it so Shelby could come inside.

Keeping the door open he gazed at the farm. There was so much work that needed to be done. He had let it slide for a while, but he knew that he had to make sure the farm was still running. It was what his dad would have wanted.

As if reading his mind again, Callie asked, "You want me to help with the chores? I don't mind. I don't think I can stare at this stuff any longer anyway."

He turned to her. "You know how to do this stuff?"

She got up and smiled at him. "Of course, I practically grew up on the farm—"then she suddenly stopped. She cleared her throat and continued saying, "I mean, my friend's family had one and I used to help out all the time in the summer when I was growing up."

Clark narrowed his eyes, a bit skeptical of her explanation. "Okay, well follow me out to the barn. We should probably patch up the hole and then tend to the animals."

"Right." She nodded.

As they walked to the barn, he suddenly wondered if she had any other powers. He had seen her super-speed like him, and he definitely saw her floating in his room, which meant that she could fly. The powers she possessed were dangerously close to the ones that Kara possessed. He didn't have the power of flight yet, even though Kara tried to teach him long ago. If Callie had any more powers that were Kryptonian-like, they were going to sit down and have a major discussion. First, though, he'd have to figure out how to get her to show them to him because he didn't really think he could just flat out ask her.

As they entered the barn he stopped and stared at the hole above him. "Okay, so we're going to need—" but before he could even finish Callie disappeared and then reappeared at lightning speed in front of him with the supplies he didn't get to mention.

"What?" She shrugged innocently, "It's not like the first time this has happened to me. Believe me, flying is fun, but when I first started getting the hang of it was a bit—"she stopped herself as she looked at him. She smiled with a tiny chuckle and corrected her language, "-bit of a hard task to accomplish. I've had my share of," pointing up the hole and smiling sheepishly, "those."

Clark nodded. "Yeah, I can understand that. I had a few mishaps when I was starting to gain control of my powers, too."

As Clark watched her set up the materials, his eyes were drawn to the heavy metal posts that were sitting up by the bundles of hay next to the loft. Now, if they suddenly happened to fall a person without super strength wouldn't be able to withstand the weight. If his suspicion was correct, Callie would be able to handle those posts like twigs off a tree, just like he could. Taking a quick glance at her, he could see that she was occupied with the task of patching the hole and paying no attention to him. Using his heat vision he let the posts roll loose.

In the matter of a second, Callie turned her head to the noise and sped over to stop the posts from causing any damage. She then closed her eyes and sighed, realizing what Clark just did to her.

"So you have super strength, too, huh?" he called out to her.

Placing the posts on the ground she turned to look at him. "I should've guessed you'd try to decipher my power directory. I guess I was just too naïve to think that I could get away with it."

"So I'm guessing you have heat vision, x-ray vision, and every other power a Kryptonian has?"

"Well, sort off. I'm not exactly Kryptonian, though."

Clark cocked his head toward her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm from the future, remember, silly. In the future there are many people walking around with powers, I just happened to be a byproduct of that."

Clark looked deeply at her facial expression and her eyes. He could tell that she wasn't telling the truth. The question was why? Any Kryptonian he ran into admitted it when he confronted them, or rather, when they confronted him in most instances. Not wanting to push it, he figured he'd give her the upper hand at the moment, but he fully intended to unravel her lineage.

"Really?" He asked playing along, "I'm sure you do a lot of good with them in the future."

"I wish." She said, getting back to the task of fixing the roof.

"Does anyone else you know you have powers?"

Not looking up at him she replied, "My parents. Other people in the future are more open about what gifts they have, but not me."

"My parents knew about my powers, too." He said, trying to relate to her. He hoped it would get her to open to him, but it seemed to backfire.

Callie stayed silent, floated up to the hole and started the patching process. He watched as she effortlessly flew up and did the job. As she came back down she half smiled at him saying, "Jealous?"

"Wh-what? Of that? No, I'm afraid of heights."

Callie nodded. "Yeah, but you never know when you might need that power. It does come in handy you know."

"Yeah, well, let's just say someone tried to teach me once and it didn't work out so well." Curious he asked, "How did you learn to fly?"

"Happy thoughts and fairy dust." She smirked as she walked past him and out of the barn. "I'll be with the horses."

Clark shook his head as she left, but unexpectedly felt a tug at his lips. He was starting to smile.

*/*

For the rest of the morning, Clark and Callie did the chores around the farm and he realized that he was starting to like her company. He may not know a lot about her, but her presence had brought him comfort he hadn't felt in a long time. Walking back into the kitchen he poured them both a drink, but in doing so his eyes diverted back to the dining room table where all of Lois' things still were.

'I'll do everything I can do, Lois. I promise I'll find you.' He thought.

"Yeah, I guess we should get back to that." Callie's voice said, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Taking a sip of his drink he replied with a simple nod. Walking over he picked up the photos and examined them.

"Chloe said that these were taken at the Luthor Mansion?" He asked, staring at the symbol that he knew stood for Zod.

"Yeah, she seemed to want to talk to you though, I was sort of just the messenger."

"I can't talk to her." He said, reverting back to his monotone voice.

"Oh no," her comment made his head snap up and look at her, "are you seriously going to start that whole thing up again? I mean, I saw you laughing when I fell into the huge pile of mud out there," point to all the mud on her clothes, "so stop acting like an android. You have feelings, big whoop." She said rolling her eyes.

Now, he started to feel irritated as she talked. He had let himself relax when he was with her and knew that was wrong of him; it wasn't part of the plan.

"Go talk to her. I'll stay here and find one of those apple pie air fresheners to give the relaxing illusion of pie baking. I learned that trick from my mom," she laughed, but then her voice turned sincere as she put a hand on his shoulder, "Seriously. Go. I'll just stay here and try and figure some stuff out." She said pointing over to the pile of things on the table.

He sighed, clutching the photos in his hand. He looked down at them and then back at her. With all the super strength he retained he didn't have the strength to withstand the look in her eyes. Defeated, he went upstairs to change. He was going to see Chloe.

*/*

Clark hesitantly walked through the doors of the 'Watchtower'. The last time he had been there he had declared himself dead and pushed all emotion out of his life. It was still hard for him to step inside. Being around Chloe, even in the brief moments at the farm the previous day, it hurt. Images of Jimmy, of Lois, came to the forefront of his brain. Lois. It hurt too much. But he had to do this. Slowly he willed his feet to move. A figure at the stairs began to stir then stopped noticing his presence.

"Clark?" The voice asked in disbelief.

The figure then ran down the stairs, but stopped at the bottom, not sure of what to do next.

"Chloe." He acknowledged.

"Wow, I mean, I wasn't expecting this at all."

Clark held up the photos. "I got your message."

"Good to know that Callie keeps her word. How is our new resident power girl?" Chloe asked walking over to her work station, complete with the newest technology. He assumed it was a donation from Queen Industries.

"Well, I found out that she's from the future… and possibly Kyrptonian."

Chloe silently stared at him. He could tell by her facial expression that she was processing the information, but she was also thinking about something else.

"Chloe?"

"Oh!" She said breaking from her thoughts and getting back into the conversation. "That's unexpected. A future Kryptonian? Any explanation on what brings her to our neck of the woods."

"I don't know. I don't think she knows either, but she's pretty keen on finding Lois."

"So, I've noticed." She said, raising her eyebrows.

The room fell silent again. Clark went through the photos and handed the one of Tess' reflection to Chloe.

"Do you think she had a role in Lois' disappearance?"

"Honestly? I think Tess Mercer is capable of a lot of things. Kidnapping and/or abduction seem right in her wheelhouse."

Clark pursed his lips together thinking of all the things Tess could have done to Lois. The way she had been acting towards him, wanting him to fight Doomsday and achieve his destiny, could it have been all a rouse to get him out of the way and for Tess to step in and implement whatever plan she had?

"But what would she want with Lois?"

"Well, rumor has it that the Planet wasn't a mess due to…well you know," Chloe said choosing her words carefully, "Some people said they heard a fight break out in the basement, but when they got there it was empty. They just coughed it up to what happened outside and the slight earthquake from the mega blast at the Geo Thermal site. We both know that Lois would do a lot for a story, I can only think that Lois may have stumbled upon something Tess didn't want out."

"Did you say anything to Oliver about this?" Clark asked, expecting Oliver to be doing some digging, given his past relationship to Lois and all.

"Believe me, I tried, but the whole League disbanded after Jimmy's funeral. I was lucky enough to get these photos, I guess he felt obligated to give the information he had, but had no intention of acquiring any new business endeavors. Dinah, Bart, Victor, and A.C. have all fled off the grid too."

Clark hung his head low thinking of Oliver and company. He soon stopped his thoughts about them and willed himself into an emotionless state again.

"I guess I'll have to pay Tess a little visit then." Clark said as he began to leave.

Chloe moved to stand in his way. "Clark, what are you going to do? I don't think she'll give up information so willingly, especially if she did kidnap Lois."

"We'll have to see about that, won't we?" he said determined.

Clark moved around Chloe and out the door.

*/*

Walking through the double doors he had done some many times before he walked into the room which shared many memories of him battling Lex. It seemed odd to be back, but under the circumstances it almost seemed right. He stared at the red-haired woman who was sleekly dressed in all black. She smirked at his presence from behind her laptop.

"Well, well, well. Clark Kent is alive and well. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Clark moved forward toward her desk. She instinctively put the screen of her computer down and Clark instantly wondered if she was hiding something on there. He stayed silent and instead slammed the photograph of her on the desk.

"I wouldn't say that this is your best side."

She stayed seated and glanced at the photo. Her eyes then looked up at him.

"Wow, a photo of me at what looks like the Daily Planet. Gee, Clark, with work like this I can't believe you haven't been promoted." She said getting up from her chair and moving away from him.

Clark grabbed her arm forcefully and pulled her back in the direction of the desk. "Tell me what you know about Lois' disappearance."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "This is what this is about? Believe me, Clark; I had nothing to do with her disappearance. If I did, I'd be a happier woman right now."

"It's not funny." He seethed. "Tell me what you know."

"You want to know what I know?" Breaking from his grip, she moved to her laptop and opened it up. On the screen was a video looping over and over.

Clark moved in closer to see it was surveillance footage of Lois and Tess fighting at the Daily Planet. He watched as Lois went to his desk, pulled something out and hit Tess over the head with it. She then fell to the ground and a flashlight engulfed the room as Lois disappeared with an unconscious Tess lying on the floor.

"Satisfied?" Tess asked, making herself a drink at the bar.

Clark couldn't believe what he saw. The black case with Lois' things made sense now. She had found the Legion Ring. That was the reason he couldn't find her. She wasn't in this time anymore.

"By the intent look on your face I assume you know what happened to her." She asked, intrigued.

"No, I don't," he lied. "Why were you in a fight?"

"Well, I assumed 'Little Miss Journalist' took something that didn't belong to her. I was wrong. After she hit me on the head I woke up to find her missing," Tess then sat back down behind the desk. "I've been looking for her too, Clark. If we pool our resources together, maybe we can find her."

"No thanks." He said.

The room was silent. Tess cocked her head to the side. "Was there something else?"

"Actually," Clark said placing both hands on the desk and leaning in, "there is." He moved the top photo to reveal the photo of the symbol etched in the Luthor Mansion lawn. "I was wondering what you could tell me about this mark being burned into the grounds here."

Tess stared at the photo and then to him. "I guess it was those same wacky people who did it on your farm all those years ago. Small world, huh?" She said with a smirk raising her glass to him and taking a drink.

"You honestly think I'm buying that?"

Tess leaned back in her chair. "Well, Clark, why don't you just tell me what you think it is." He knew she was challenging him to give up information; he wasn't playing that game with her.

"If you had anything to do with that marking out there just know that you're playing with fire."

"Well, I guess I better break out the marshmallows."

Clark shook his head and backed away from the desk heading to the exit.

"Oh and by the way," she said, catching Clark's attention, "love the outfit."

Clark looked down to see he too was all dressed in black, just like Tess. He brushed off her comment and left.

*/*

As night fell Clark couldn't think of where all the time had gone. His mind had been all over the place. He'd traveled to different places around Metropolis for no reason and he hadn't been back to the farm to check on Callie. As he wandered the streets some more he ended up in front of the Daily Planet. It had been over a month since he had left his job. Just like it was hard for him to step foot in the 'Watchtower' it seemed like a hundred times harder to step inside there.

Sighing he turned away from the building. As he walked away he noticed a bright light flash and it illuminated the street. Using his arm to shield his eyes he could tell that the light's origin was coming from the basement of the Planet. As he super sped down the stairs the light began to dissipate.

As his eyes adjusted, he saw a figure with dark hair and wearing white approach him. When he could clearly see who it was he felt as if his whole body had shut down. He didn't blink and he couldn't breathe. He just stared and listened to the one word from the one voice he'd been longing to hear for over a month.

" _Smallville?_ "


	6. Chapter Five: In Another Place and Time

Chapter Five: In Another Place and Time

Lois Lane pushed herself off the floor of the basement of the Daily Planet. Last thing she remembered Tess Mercer had been waiting for her, accused her of stealing some alien orb thingy, and then pursued to fight her, in which Lois totally kicked her ass. She also remembered finding a funky looking ring on the ground and then waking up in the same position with what felt like a major hangover. Putting her right hand on her head to dull the pain she used her left hand to grab onto her desk so she could steady herself.

'Where is psycho skank?' She wondered.

Glancing at the clock she could see it was almost midnight. She had told the Red-Blue Blur to meet her at the phone booth at 4th and Main. She had to get there.

Letting go of her desk she moved toward the stairs. She soon stopped when she saw a familiar face staring back at her.

"Smallville?" She asked.

Clark didn't flinch when she called him by his nickname. All he did was stare at her, almost like she was a ghost or something. He was dressed all in black, a trenchcoat added to his wardrobe. The clothes didn't scream Clark Kent and his reaction to her was just as puzzling.

"Jeez, Smallville, take a breath. You know inhale and exhale; it's kind of what we do here on Earth to breathe."

She hoped that her snarky attitude would make him come out of his state, but he still just stared at her.

"Okay, that's it," she said putting her hand on her hip, "why are you looking at me like you haven't seen me in weeks?"

"Because I haven't." He said in a soft voice.

Lois smiled and laughed. "Nice try, Smallville, but April 1st was a while ago. And try not to come up with something so lame."

"Lois, it is June 28th." He said, reaching for the newspaper on the desk next to the stairs. He held it up for her to read.

"Give me that." She said snatching the paper from his hands. He wasn't lying. When she had left it was May and now it was June? She shook her head in disbelief and turned from him.

"No, this is you trying to...to.. I don't know, take my mind off of Chloe." She whipped her head to him. "Chloe! Is she okay? Where is she?"

"Chloe's fine. She's been fine for the last month."

Lois smiled inwardly to herself. 'The Red-Blue Blur did it. He saved her.'

"Lois?" Clark asked.

Lois looked up at him. His eyes looked at her with such anxiety. Was he that worried about her? She couldn't think of that now, though. She had to find out what she missed.

"What about the thing that took her?" She said, getting back into the conversation.

"He's dead."

Lois stayed silent and mulled over the information, but the next thing that Clark said broke her out of her thoughts. "There's more." He simply stated.

"What more information could there be?"

"It's Jimmy. He died saving Chloe."

Lois was taken aback. "What?" She asked in skepticism. "No."

"I'm sorry."

Lois shook her head. "No. I mean I just- I remember just seeing him." Lois then started to breathe heavily. She placed her hand on her chest as her breathing became more erratic and her eyes darted back and forth. She couldn't believe this was happening.

Clark came off the steps and pulled her into his arms. She held onto him and nestled her face into his shoulder. 'How could this of all happened? Where the hell have I been?' Lois thought. She sniffed back a few tears, but still held Clark close to her. After a few minutes she pulled back from him and started for the stairs. Clark grabbed her arm quickly and pulled her back to him.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I have to go see Chloe. She must have been devastated. I mean Jimmy died and then I was missing." Lois didn't even want to think about it. "I have to see her. She needs to know that I'm okay."

"Lois, I think you should take it easy. Maybe you should come back to the farm with me."

"No way, Smallville. My baby cousin needed me and I wasn't there. I'm not leaving her again."

"Lois, I know you want to see Chloe, but you also have to think about yourself. Who knows where you have been for the last month."

"Fine, then I'll go to my apartment and call Chloe and let her know I'm okay. Happy?"

"I'd be happier if you came to the farm where I can keep an eye on you."

Lois could see in his eyes that he was genuinely concerned for her.

"I don't need a babysitter, Clark. Besides, there are like a million different explanations of what happened. Believe me, I want to figure it out too, but my head is killing me and I think all I need is just a really good night sleep in my apartment. So, if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving."

As Lois maneuvered her way around Clark and up the stairs she suddenly realized that she didn't have her keys to her car. Her car probably wasn't even there anyway. She put her hands in her pockets hoping to find extra cash for a cab, but was disappointed to not find anything. Defeated she turned to Clark who had a smirk on his face.

"Need a lift?" He snarked.

Lois scoffed and narrowed her eyes to him. He knew all along that she would need his help. As much as she was annoyed she was a little impressed too. Maybe she was rubbing off on him.

"Yes." She said flatly. "Where's your car?"

"I actually don't have it, but I'll gladly ride with you in a cab to your apartment."

"Smallville, seriously, stop being so gentlemen-like, I'm fine. I don't need an escort to go across the city."

"How about you stop fighting me on this and we just get you home. The sooner we get you home, the sooner I'll leave you alone."

Lois nodded in agreement. "Good," she said walking up the stairs to the door in a hurry, "Let's go, Smallville. Chop chop."

Once she reached the door she turned to see Clark desperately trying to hide a smile from his face. She waited for him by the door and when he finally reached her they walked to the curb together. Waiting at the curb she eyed Clark. There was something different about him. 'When did he become so 'Men in Black'' she wondered, eyeing his wardrobe. He looked at her and quickly looked down at his chest, exhaling a sigh as his fingers brushed the plain black shirt.

She continued watching him as Clark waved his hand to the oncoming taxi. When the taxi stopped Clark opened the door for her to get in and followed after her. As she got into the car, Lois suddenly felt like she was an awkward date with Clark. She moved closer to the door on her side to give space between her and Clark.

"Where to?" The driver asked,

"344 Claridge Drive." Lois replied.

As they were driven through the streets of Metropolis both Lois and Clark remained silent on the trip. Lois slightly moved her head towards Clark. She could see that his eyes were fixated out his window and began to wonder what he was thinking. When she had seen the relief in his eyes when they were at the Planet she had brushed it aside, but now being in the car with him she couldn't help but ponder if he had truly missed her while she was gone. As soon as she saw Clark's eyes start to turn towards her she quickly turned to her window.

When they reached their destination Clark paid the driver and helped Lois out of the car. As they walked to the high rise apartment building the doorman stopped the both of them.

"Miss Lane!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you." He then noticed Clark. "Is this your boyfriend?"

Lois looked at Clark then back at the doorman. "Ha! Please…."

Clark rolled his eyes at Lois' comment. "I'm Clark Kent, we work together."

"Ah, well, it's nice to have you back."

Lois smiled as the doorman held the door open for Lois and Clark to walk into the building. Clark followed her as they moved through the lobby and entered the elevator. Lois punched the button for her floor and moved away from Clark, again giving herself space as she had done in the cab.

"He seems like a nice guy. "Clark said, making small talk.

"Yeah, Larry is a good guy."

"You nervous or something?"

Lois' head snapped to his face. "Why would you say that?"

"It's just you keep making sure there's distance between us."

"I heard you had cooties." She said, smirking at him.

Clark rolled his eyes. "Are we suddenly in the fourth grade again? Besides, you don't have a cooties shot?" He said playing along.

"I heard you have a new strain." She claimed as Clark shook his head.

Lois then jumped when she unexpectedly felt Clark grab her arm. Her eyes widened as he placed his pointer finger on it. As he moved his finger in a couple of circles and he said something inaudible to her because the sound of her heart beating was all she could hear. She anticipated him to drop her arm after he was finished, but he hadn't.

Lois' heart started to beat quicker and quicker. The contact of his hand on her body was making her crazy. She moved closer to him ending the gap she had created between them. Then their eyes met. She had never figured her playing around with him would lead to this kind of moment. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Clark began to dip his head down to hers. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for his lips on hers. Without warning the elevator bell went off and the doors opened, ruining the moment and causing them both to jump back from each other.

After standing in the elevator for a few seconds composing themselves, Lois was the first to walk out. She walked past her door to a plant at the end of the hallway, lifting the pot up to reveal her spare key.

"You hid your key under a plant in your hallway? Don't you think that's a little dangerous?" Clark asked.

Lois glanced at him quickly as she placed her key in the door. "No," she simply responded.

The door opened to reveal her apartment exactly the way she had left it. Lois took her jacket off and hung it on the coat rack by the door. She turned to close the door, but Clark stopped her.

"I thought the agreement was you brought me home then you would leave." Lois said, irritated at the fact he was still there.

"I just want to make sure everything is safe in here."

"Come on, Smallville. Are you serious?"

"Absolutely." He said pushing the doorway open so he could fit through.

Clark looked around her apartment and at moments his face looked so concentrated on certain parts of the room. He walked over to her balcony door. He opened it up to pop his head outside then came back in. "I guess everything looks okay."

"Thanks for the report, Captain Obvious."

She could tell that Clark decided not to make a comeback for that one. Instead he folded his arms and had a pensive look come over his face. "Lois, what exactly do you remember about what happened?"

Lois sat down on her couch and tried to think. "I remember Tess being in the basement and her accusing me of having some weird orb thing. Then we fought. I went to your desk and pulled something out and hit her with it. A ring fell out, I picked it up and there was a light and the next thing I knew I was in the same position with you staring at me on the stairs."

"The ring that you found, what did it look like?"

"It had some funky 'L' on it. Oh god, don't tell me that 'L' stands for Lana, because seriously Clark, you need to let go."

Clark made a face at her. "The 'L' doesn't stand for Lana."

"Then what does it stand for?" She was interested in finding out the little piece of information.

"Lois." He smiled sarcastically.

"Ha. Ha. Seriously, what was with the kooky ring?"

"It was a gift from a friend. You don't by any chance know where that ring is, do you?"

Lois looked down at her bare hands. "Hmm. It must be in the basement of the Daily Planet because I don't have it."

A wave of guilt trounced Lois. She felt bad that she had lost something that someone had given to Clark. She honestly didn't know where it could have gone through. She remembered picking it up and slightly putting it on her finger and then it wasn't there anymore.

"I'm sorry, Clark."

"It's okay. What matters is that you're okay."

Lois half smiled at him.

"I guess I should get going." He said. "If you need anything or if something happens…"

"I'll shoot the flannel flare and you'll come running, I know, I know."

Clark nodded his head. She could tell that he really didn't want to leave, but a part of her needed him to go, especially after what just happened in the elevator. She watched him as he opened the door and closed it behind him. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Wanting to rid her thoughts of Clark, she shook her head and reached for her portable phone. She dialed Chloe's cell number and waited anxiously as it rang.

"Hello?" The voice asked in suspicion.

"Chlo!" Lois smiled through the phone, "It's so good to hear your voice."

"Lois? Oh my god!" she said as realization hit her, "Lo!"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Oh my god, "she said again. "Where have you been? I've been searching for you everywhere!"

"Yeah, that's kind of complicated at the moment. I remember being at the Daily Planet and then, well, being at the Daily Planet. I just got home. I mean, I would have come to see you first, but Clark forced me home." Lois said getting up and moving to her kitchen.

Chloe's voice paused until she asked,"Clark was there?"

"Yeah, I thought that was kind of odd too, but he must have just been working late, but how he could work without me there is beyond me." She said jokingly hoping to get a laugh out of Chloe.

Lois pulled out the coffee maker and started to make herself a strong brew. Her headache was getting worse and she figured she wouldn't be getting any sleep anyway so she might as well add some caffeine to the mix.

"Lois…" Chloe began emotionally, but Lois cut her off.

"Chlo, don't even. Clark clued me in on what happened in my absence. I'm so sorry. I should have been there. You must have needed me."

"I did. I really did." She said in a low voice.

Sadness overcame Lois' face as she heard her cousin's heartbroken voice.

"If you need to talk about it, I'm here. Better late than never, right?"

She could hear Chloe chuckle a little over the receiver. "Right. I really missed you, Lo."

"I really wish that I could have been here for you."

Out of nowhere Lois felt a severe jab of pain in her head and Lois dropped the coffee mug she was holding. "Ah…"

"Lois? You okay?" Chloe panicked.

Lois placed her free hand on the back of her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just, uh, hit my elbow on the wall," she lied. "You know what, I think I'm going to call it a night. We are definitely seeing each other tomorrow, though, okay?"

"Absolutely, but are you sure you are okay?"

"Yeah," Lois lied again. "I love you, cous…"

"Love you, too."

Lois hit the off button on the phone and threw it on the counter. She eyed the shattered pieces of glass on the floor but didn't feel like picking them up since the pain in her head was starting to become unbearable. Her hand remained on her head as she tried to make it to her bathroom. 'I probably just need some aspirin and then once I take a couple and hopefully I'll pass out on my bed and sleep it off,' she thought.

When she made it halfway across her living room the pain started to get even worse. Her eyesight started to blur abruptly and dizziness overcame her. Losing her balance she fell to the floor and blacked out.

Surrounded by unknown shadows, Lois desperately tried to figure out where she was but was powerless to do so.

"Everyone hold your fire!" Lois could hear a male voice say through the darkness.

"What happened? How did she get here?" A new female voice said.

"I'm not sure. Something must have gone wrong."

"Isn't that the ring you gave Kal?" the female voice asked.

Lois tried to match the voices to faces but everything remained black in her vision. She could feel people around her but she couldn't see them. No matter how hard she tried everything still stayed black. All she could do was listen.

A new young energetic voice appeared saying "Oh man. Is that—"

"Garth, don't." The older male voice said.

"What? I mean I thought the baseball was awesome, but this? Wait, why is she here?"

"We're not sure. We have to send her back."

"Man, Lois Lane…"Garth gushed. "She's more beautiful than in the history books."

"Garth!" The female voice threatened.

"What? I didn't say anything! Right, Cos?"

"Right now I'm trying to figure out how to send her back, so just stay quiet." The voice identified as Cos said.

"Is something wrong?" The female voice asked.

"Time travel is not something we play with, you know that. It was enough when I went back, but now that she's here. We have to be extra careful."

"Well, something must have gone right because he's back." Garth said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, he survived. The man in red and blue flies again."

"That's good news." The female voice said.

"Okay, I think I've recalibrated this right." Cos said. "But we have to make sure she's safe so I set it after Doomsday."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"It's the only way we can make sure she's safe. Ready?"

The voices then disappeared immediately. Whatever she was just listening to had ended and all that lingered was silence and darkness.


	7. Chapter Six: Where You Belong

**Chapter Six:** _Where You Belong_

As Clark closed Lois' apartment door behind him he used his super-hearing to check up on her once more. He listened as she released a deep breath and her heartbeat relaxed. Feeling satisfied enough, he moved down the hallway and got in the elevator. When he reached the lobby, he moved toward the exit of the building and walked into the darkness of the Metropolis. As he walked out into the street he passed by Larry the doorman and vaguely heard him call out "Night, Mr. Kent!"

As Clark walked further down the street something tugged at him in his gut. He didn't feel right leaving Lois alone. The only reason he left had been to appease her. Deciding to try and quell his fears Clark once again used his super-hearing and focused on Lois' apartment.

 _"I really wish that I could have been here for you."_ He heard Lois say.

He then heard something shatter and Lois' voice in pain, _"Ah…"_

 _"Lois? You okay?"_ He heard a panicked Chloe ask over the phone.

_"Yeah, I'm fine. I just, uh, hit my elbow on the wall. You know what, I think I'm going to call it a night. We are definitely seeing each other tomorrow, though, okay?"_

He could tell that pain in her voice had nothing to do with hitting her elbow. She was lying and could possibly be in real danger. Looking for someplace private Clark spotted an alley next to her building and headed down it. He eyed the structure and counted the balconies. When he found Lois' he made sure that no one was watching as he took off his trench coat and prepared himself to super-jump. Concentrating his power in his feet he focused on Lois' balcony and leaped. Once his feet were firmly planted on his destination he didn't hear any sound coming from her apartment. Opening up one of the French doors, he removed the curtain that was obstructing his view and witnessed Lois motionless on the floor of her living room.

"Lois!" he exclaimed, running to her side.

Scooping her up into his arms he cried, "Lois," shaking her a little bit, hoping the motion would make her open her eyes.

"Lois!" He said again, his voice a little higher.

"Smallville?" She groaned as she slowly opened her eyes and came to.

Clark breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you okay?"

Lois nodded her head, delicately moving the back of her hand to her forehead.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I…I don't know. I was in the kitchen and on my way to get some aspirin. I guess I must have just blacked out."

"I should get you to the hospital." He said as he prepared to lift her up from the floor.

"No way. I'm not slipping in some hospital gown so doctors can poke and prod at me. I'm perfectly fine." Lois protested as she swatted Clark's arms away from her. He could tell that she was beginning to get her strength back.

'I know she's stubborn, but this is ridiculous.' He thought.

"Lois, I will drag you out of her myself if I have to. You're going to the hospital." He said firmly.

"Oh yeah, Smallville?" She said getting up on her own and placing her hands on her hips. "I'd just like to see you try." She continued, moving her head to her words and raising her eyebrow and daring him.

'A challenge, huh?' Clark thought to himself. 'Hasn't she learned from the first time she did this to me?'

"Okay, if you say so." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Clark then, with no trouble due to his super-strength, lifted Lois up and placed her over his shoulder. Lois hit him on his back with her hands continuously as she yelled at him to put her down. Clark just ignored her as he got her coat from the coat rack and carried her out of her apartment.

"Clark! CLARK! Put me down now!" She demanded.

As he walked down the hallway with her he was sure that her protests would awaken the whole floor. Finally making it to the elevator he asked, "If I put you down will you come with me to the hospital sans complaint?"

Even though he couldn't see it he knew she was rolling her eyes at him. Just the thought of a natural Lois reaction made him smile. It seemed almost surreal that he was currently holding Lois over his shoulder. It was also a bold thing for him to do. A part of him was still reeling from the fact that she was actually back. Finding her in the basement of the Daily Planet and having her walking towards him had taken his breath away. The opening of the elevator doors jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Well…" He pressed.

"Fine." She said, her voice sounding as though her teeth were gritted.

Obliging her request, Clark let Lois slide off of his shoulder and helped her get her footing in front of him, placing his hands on the sides of her body. Making sure she was okay his eyes traveled up her body and gravitated to her eyes again. He suddenly realized that they were in the same position they had been in when they had first entered the elevators on the way to her apartment.

The distance shouldn't have bothered him, but it had. Confronting her about it she had given him a ridiculous answer. He had been prepared to rebuke her comment but instead had taken her arm and desperately tried to remember the words of the rhyme he had heard on the playground so many years ago. Finally getting the words out his attention remained on the contact between the both of them and it had sent tremors all over his body. He felt like he had the night they were on the dance floor at Chloe's wedding. He felt the want, no, the need to kiss her, but the sound of the elevators had made them jump apart. Now, there he was in the same position as before. Everything in his body told him to go for it, but something was still holding him back.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Lois asked annoyed.

"Staring at you like what?" He asked innocently as he started to remove his hands from her side.

Her hazel eyes narrowed at him. "Well, whatever you're doing stop because it's not going to take my mind off the fact that I was dragged out of my apartment against my will."

"Lois, I found you unconscious on the floor of your apartment. You need to be checked out by a doctor." He rationalized.

"You know if I didn't know better I might start to think that you care about me, Smallville."

"I do care, Lois." He said sincerely.

Lois half smiled at his sincerity. "Why did you come back, Clark? I mean I basically kicked you out and yet there you were, the first face I saw. Not that I'm not grateful, but what made you come back?"

"I thought I forgot my keys." Clark answered lamely.

"Oh." Lois said, her voice hinting disappointment.

"But it's a good thing I came back." He added.

Lois nodded and they waited in silence as the elevator landed at the lobby. Placing his hand lightly on her back, Clark walked side by side with Lois to the exit. Walking out the doors they were greeted by Larry the doorman.

"Miss Lane. Mr. Kent." Larry suddenly did a double take. "Mr. Kent! I thought I saw you leave before."

"Uh." Clark said off guard. "I guess it must have been someone who looked like me."

"I've really got to stop working the late shift." He heard Larry say as he shook his head.

Taking his attention away from Larry, he noticed Lois had managed to get away from him and hailed a cab. "Smallville, are we going to do this or what?" She asked, opening up the door.

Clark headed over to the cab and slid in beside Lois. He told the driver to take them to Metropolis General. Looking at the annoying look appearing on Lois' face he figured that he was going to need someone Lois wasn't mad at by his side. Reaching into his pocket Clark pulled out his cell phone and dialed Chloe's number. As the phone rang the voice of a tired Chloe answered the phone.

"Clark, I know you like to make your rounds on the midnight shift, but some of us need more sleep than you do."

"This isn't a social call Chloe. It's about Lois." He said, taking another quick glance at Lois as she tried to eavesdrop on his phone call.

"Tell her how you dragged me out of my apartment like a caveman." She said moving her head over his shoulder, trying to get her voice into the mouthpiece.

"Clark, what is going on?" Chloe's alarmed voice asked.

"I found Lois unconscious in her apartment. She's okay now, but we're going to the hospital. I figured you'd want to know."

"I'll meet you there." She said ending the conversation abruptly.

Clark turned to Lois. "She'll meet us there."

"I feel like this is a waste of time. I feel fine."

"Lois…"

"What? All I felt like was… like I was dreaming and you woke me from a sound sleep."

"Dreaming? About what?" Clark asked intrigued.

"Well, it wasn't of you, Smallville. This hallucination didn't have you starring as my 'knight in shining armor' this time." She peered out the window as droplets of rain started to hit the glass. "It was the weirdest thing" she continued, "it was like I couldn't see anything, there were no faces, only voices. All I could do was listen. Some of it is a blur now, but I do remember something about a baseball, and I heard the name Kal, and some guy survived something, I think." Lois shook her head. "I don't know, it was weird. A weird dream after a weird day or night or whatever."

Clark just sat and listened to her speak. A baseball. A guy named Kal. Someone surviving something. Had Lois traveled a thousand years in the future and been with the Legion? He tried to remember what Rokk had told him when he had given the instructions of the Legion ring. He had been told to use it against Doomsday and that the Legion was prepared to deal with him in the future. Instead, he had placed the ring in his desk and fully intended to confront his destiny head on, even if that meant he was destined to die.

The only thing he could connect together was that during Lois' confrontation with Tess she had gone into his desk and had managed to accidentally get her hands on the Legion ring. It must have transported her to them and they sent her back. What he was worried about was what effects this would have on her.

As the cab turned into the hospital emergency center he prepared himself for another round of Lois' protests and stubbornness. Opening the door when the cab stopped he helped Lois out and saw Chloe waiting already outside.

"Guess this counts as seeing you in the morning, huh, Lo?" Chloe said, trying to lighten up the mood.

"Don't try to sugarcoat this, Chlo."

"You got here fast." He said to Chloe.

"Well, my place isn't that far. After we hung up I shot here so quickly." Looking to make sure Lois wasn't in ear shot she concluded, "you'd think I was the one with the super-speed."

Turning his attention back to Lois, he and Chloe walked her into the hospital. Chloe took Lois down the hallway to the sign in station. Clark waited as they talked to a nurse and Chloe took some paperwork. He watched as a nurse guided Lois down the hallway and into another room. He wanted nothing more than to follow her, but now he felt he had to keep his distance. This was just another thing he could blame on himself. If he hadn't placed that ring in his desk Lois would have never found it and they wouldn't be here right now. If anything was truly wrong with her, he would never forgive himself.

"I know that look, Clark. This isn't your fault." Chloe insisted, coming toward him.

"Lois found a Legion ring in my desk. I think she was sent to the future and the Legion sent her back."

Chloe's eyes widened as her facial expression turned from consoling to confounded. "Clark…" she began.

"Chloe, I don't want to talk about this right now. I just want to make sure that Lois is okay."

"So do I, but I really think you should stop playing 'The Six Degrees of Clark Kent'. You always find a way to connect all these terrible things to yourself. What are going to do next, take responsibility for global warming? The stock market? Or, wait, how about the fact that I cannot find a good conditioner for my hair. Is that your fault too?"

Clark didn't look at her. She was his best friend and always knew what to say to him, but he didn't want to hear it right now. He wanted to keep doing what he had been doing for the past month. Once he found out that Lois was okay he would return to that life. Knowledge of Lois being healthy would be all he would need.

"Okay, I see we're back to the 'ignore Chloe' portion of the program…" Chloe said taking a seat and flipping through the paperwork attached to a clipboard. Sighing, she started to fill it out. Clark could tell that she wasn't focusing well and that his behavior was partially to blame.

"I'm sorry that this is happening." He managed to say.

Chloe looked up at him. "Me too, but what matters is that she's home. I think we can all find comfort in that." Like a light bulb had gone off, her blue eyes sparked and she added, "Speaking of which, have you informed Callie that she can end her mysterious search for Lois?"

Clark shook his head. Through all the excitement of Lois reappearing he hadn't even thought of Callie. He had been selfish. Callie was the one who had got him on the trail of finding Lois. The least she deserved was a phone call after he had left her alone all day. As he was about to grab his phone and call the house Clark was interrupted when a doctor came over to Chloe.

"Miss Sullivan, I'm Dr. Carter. I'd like to speak with you about the condition of your cousin…"

Clark didn't like the tone of the doctor's voice one bit. The phone call the Callie would have to wait.

* * *

~\~

Callie paced back and forth in the living room. After she and Clark had done the chores in the morning she had finally gotten him to man-up and speak to Chloe. After that conversation he hadn't made contact at the farm since. She wanted to speed off and try to find him, but she thought that if she did that there was a chance that could be on his way home at the exact same time so she sat alone all day waiting for Clark. Feeling boredom taking over her she decided to explore the farm and house. Everything seemed so familiar to her, but of course she was used to much more 'futuristic' things compared to ones that currently occupied the house.

She had always been taught not to snoop, but who was she kidding, snooping was in her genes. Climbing the stairs she opened up the door to a very familiar room only to find what she expected, very unfamiliar things. Glancing around the colors of red and blue captivated her eyes. She smiled thinking that Clark had always been intrigued by the colors and what those colors would come to represent in the future. Stifling her curiosity she left the room not wanting to invade his privacy.

Traveling through the house again she began to better notice things like the family photos that decorated many of the tables and the Guitar Hero game by the television console. The game especially got her attention. Pulling the guitar tucked away she examined it and was in awe at how different it was to the one she remembered as a kid. She wanted nothing more than to put the strap around her shoulder, turn on the game, and rock out to whatever songs would take her mind off her current predicaments. Putting the guitar back where she found it she was saddened by the fact that she couldn't.

"Not today, I guess." She said to herself. "Although, all work and no play could turn you into 'Dark Clark'." Chuckling to herself she continued, "Maybe that's what he needs. Some fun should put a kick in his personality."

As the hours went by Callie found herself becoming more and more worrisome. She had been staring out the window since the sun had set and just waited for Clark to come home. Feeling something brush past her she saw Shelby had come to her, possibly sensing her loneliness.

"Hey there, boy. Is it boy, right?"

The dog just sat next to her and kept her company. Patting him on the head Callie started to feel comforted by his presence. Staring back out the window she sighed as she watched the dark driveway.

"I don't even know why I'm sitting here," she said to Shelby. "I feel like I'm five or six again. I used to do this without my mom knowing," turning to Shelby she commented, "I can share some stuff with you, right? You won't tell, huh?"

Shelby looked at her and licked her hand. "I'll take that as a 'no, of course I won't tell, Callie'."

Turning her attention back to the window she noticed droplets of rain had begun to hit the pane. "When I was a kid I used to sneak out of my room and wait by the window till my dad came home when he took the late shift. I would feel exactly how I'm feeling now, my stomach would be in knots and I would just want to see him come home. I even had a dog just like you to keep me company," she said petting his head, "and then I would hear him. I would whoosh back to my room and pretend I was asleep the whole time. Then one night he didn't come home."

Tears started to fall down her face. "I guess thinking about Zod and Doomsday all these feelings just came rushing back. I thought I was over it, I really did. Last night, when I fell asleep at the table, I had a nightmare. I had them all the time as a kid, but when I got older they just went away. Once the threat was eradicated the nightmare would leave and I could sleep again. But last night, they came back. I watched it all over again."

The tears were coming out faster now. She grabbed hold of Shelby and hugged him tight. Taking a deep breath she kissed him on his head and said, "You're a good listener, you know that?" Rubbing his side her eyes drifted back to the window pleading with the darkness to break apart and reveal Clark coming home.

* * *

~\~

Clark opened the door to Lois' hospital room. The doctors hadn't been able to explain why Lois had blacked out. Her vitals were normal, but there was an elevation in her blood pressure and the doctor was a bit concerned for a woman her age. He concluded that a spike in her blood pressure could have triggered her blackout, but he wanted to monitor it for the next couple of weeks. Other than that all the tests they ran came back fine. He prepared himself to be ready for an 'I told you so' as he entered the room.

"Lois?"

Lois turned around adjusting her top and folding the hospital gown. "Come to escort me out of the hospital?" She said, not making eye contact.

"Just came in to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine, Clark. Just like I said I was how many hours ago?"

"Well, you did have a high blood pressure reading…"

"Yeah, I wonder what could have made my pressure rise. Maybe a tall, dark, and handsome farm boy who thinks he's some kind of hero for finding me?"

"You think I'm handsome?" He said as he felt a tug at the side of his mouth.

"It's an expression." She said, making a face. Clark smiled at her and she smiled back followed by a scoff and a roll of her eyes.

"Knock, knock," came Chloe's voice from the door. "I just spoke to the doctor. He thinks that it'd be wise for Lois not to be alone since this episode could happen again at any time."

"Great, I'll just stay with you then." Lois said to Chloe.

"Actually," Chloe began with a knowing glance at Clark, "I was thinking that it might be better if you stayed on the farm. You know, calm and serene setting as opposed to the hectic city."

"You're kidding me right? Shouldn't you be trying to take me to a place where my blood pressure won't sky rocket? I'm not exactly calm when a rooster wakes me up at the crack of dawn."

Since Lois' condition could be something in relation to the Legion he didn't want to take any chances. Thinking it over intensely, he knew that if she was under his roof he could keep an eye on her. It was the best decision, he was sure of that. It was the only way to really make sure that she was okay.

"Lois, I think it's a good idea." He chimed in.

"I guess. I mean we can spend hours in the car together on our way to work every morning. What more can a girl ask for?" She said sarcastically as she moved past him out of the room.

He wasn't about to tell her that he didn't work at the Daily Planet anymore. That conversation would be something he'd save for home.

Following her out the door he glanced at Chloe. "She'll be okay. You know Lois, deep down she really appreciates all of this." She said, trying to reassure him.

Clark simply nodded and watched as Lois talked to the doctor and nodded constantly during their conversation. She glanced over at him quickly and then back at the doctor. He could tell by her facial expression that she wasn't as against the proposal as she wanted to make them think. It was where she belonged and they all knew that.

* * *

~\~

Callie couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned on the couch trying to find a comfortable spot. She had pried herself away from the window, chanting to herself that she was a big girl. She didn't need to wait by the window anymore, she was stronger than that. She grew up a long time ago. She was not about to regress now. Frustrated she decided that sleep wasn't operative. She got up, pushing the red blanket off of her and took a quick glance out the window. Darkness. That was all that was there. Walking to the kitchen she grabbed a cup off the shelf and opened up the fridge. She poured herself some orange juice and sat on the stool. Putting her cup down she placed her elbows on the table and rested her head on the backs of her hands. She looked around the dark house and felt an eerie sense of loneliness again.

Picking up her drink again she chugged it down. She placed the cup in the sink and headed up the stairs to take a really nice, long, hot shower. As she got to the top of the stairs she heard the door open. As she turned around to come back down she stopped when she heard a familiar voice.

She watched as the women below pushed a box full of stuff into Clark's chest saying, "All right, Smallville, you win, but I can't guarantee you hot water every morning. You're so lucky that Chloe knows how to talk me into things."

Clark smirked at her. "I guess I should ask her what her secret it is. It would probably come in handy with you here."

"You can probably still flag her down in the driveway if you think you're quick enough."

Callie's heart stopped. There was Lois Lane in the kitchen of the farm house with Clark. She couldn't believe her eyes. She blinked a few times and was tempted to pinch herself to make sure what she was seeing was real. Ever since she had arrived in this time, and saw that Lois was missing, all she had wanted to do was find her. Then there she was arguing with Clark. Waves of nostalgia crashed into her and she started to smile as she watched the two of them in their conversation. Her smile faded as Lois' footsteps stopped once she spotted her on the stairs. She wanted to say something, but her voice wouldn't work.

"Uh, hi." Lois said, turning back to Clark, her face questioning him as to who she was.

"Uh, Lois, this is Callie, she's, uh…"

"His cousin." Callie finished for him, finally able to say something. Being a cousin was the only thing she could think of. She thought it would be a plausible explanation for now even though it did sound kind of lame.

"Oh. I'm Lois."

"Right, Lois. Clark talks a lot about you."

Taking a look at Clark she said, "Yeah, well, don't believe a word he says."

Callie smiled at her. "Trust me, only good things were said about you."

"Really?" Lois said, raising her eyebrows in disbelief and again looking back at Clark.

Clark shrugged his shoulders to her and half smiled.

"Actually, would you mind if I had a word with my cousin, alone?"

"Nope. I actually am in need of a hot shower. So you two can talk till the cows come home."

"Lois…" Clark began.

"Put a lid on it, Smallville. I'm taking a shower, not climbing a mountain." She said, walking up the stairs past Callie.

Callie turned around and watched her close the door to the bathroom. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact she was actually here. That Lois Lane had just walked past her. That she had to use all the strength in her body to keep herself planted on the stairs so she wouldn't act like a crazy lady and jump to Lois, getting her in one of those giant bear hugs. Getting her composure back she walked down the stairs to stand in front of Clark.

She stared at him for a few seconds. She wanted to ream him out. She wanted to scream and cry at him, but she couldn't. She felt numb after seeing Lois. A part of her also forgave the fact that he didn't contact her. He had been with Lois, he found her.

"A call would have been nice." She said in a soft, yet sarcastic, tone.

"I'm sorry I didn't call. I know I should have." He apologized.

She nodded, knowing that a lot must have transpired over the past day. Wanting to get to the nitty-gritty she asked, "What happened anyway? How did you find her?"

Sitting down on a stool Clark recounted his story of finding Lois at the Daily Planet, then taking her home, her blacking out, and then taking her to the hospital.

"Chloe and I thought it would be best if she stayed here."

"Of course. You need to keep an eye on her."

Callie mulled over all the details in her head and the clues she had pieced together from Lois' belongings and there was something Clark still wasn't telling her. Going over the flash of light Clark spoke of at the Daily Planet and the contents of the box Callie's eyes widened as she made a connection. 'The black case. I knew I had seen it before.'

"So what happened to the Legion ring?" She asked, startling him.

"How did you know about that?"

"Clark, I'm from the future so I wasn't born yesterday. Where is it, do you have it?" She asked eagerly. She knew that if Clark had the ring then it could be her ticket home.

"No. She doesn't know what happened to it."

'And…Ker-plunk. Of course, because that would have been way too easy for me.' Callie thought

"Does she remember anything about where she was?" Callie asked, leaning up against the counter.

"I don't think so. She said she could only remember certain things. It wasn't much, though. I just hope whatever happened she'll be okay." Clark said staring up the stairs.

Callie could see by the look in his eyes that he was worried about Lois' condition. Now all the pent up worry from earlier was quickly making its way back up to the surface only it wasn't about Clark, but about Lois. She couldn't let it get to her though. 'He needs you. Be strong. Everything will be okay.' She thought. Placing her hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner she matched his gaze up the stairs.

"It's going to be okay, cousin Clark…"She smirked, trying to lighten up the mood. "She's here now and she's safe."

' _It's where she belongs_.' Callie thought.


	8. Chapter Seven: Clark Kent is an Onion

**Chapter Seven:** _Clark Kent is an Onion_

Callie watched as Clark broke an egg and emptied it into the frying pan. Adding bacon, cheese, onions, peppers and smelling the fresh brewed coffee Callie's mouth started to water. While Lois had been upstairs Clark had quickly sped out and brought back all the ingredients for a breakfast that was making Callie's stomach do back flips.

"What?" Clark asked as he continued to cook.

"Nothing. It's just its _actual food_. I figured if some evil super-villain wasn't going to kill me first then I'd probably die of starvation _here_ instead." She smiled wide at him.

"Yeah, I haven't been around much lately to fill the refrigerator." He said, throwing a dish towel over his shoulder and adding another egg to the pan.

"So, where have you been?"

"Metropolis at first, then I started going other places."

Callie eyed him carefully and racked her brain as to where he could have been. ' _The Fortress?'_ she thought to herself.

Catching another whiff of the heavenly scents filling the kitchen Callie's mind traveled elsewhere. She was still sleepy but nothing, not even sleep, was going to keep her away from her first real meal since falling from the sky. Blinking her eyes fervently to stay awake Callie yawned but continued to stare lovingly at the food.

"You look tired." Clark commented.

"Yeah, well, I would have gotten a good night's sleep if _someone_ called to say he wasn't coming home." She replied, obviously still miffed from the events that transpired only hours before. However, it was a lie. Even if she had gotten _some_ sleep it would have most likely been interrupted by a nightmare.

"Wow, Clark, you really do stand up every woman in your life. Should I be happy I wasn't the only one or was it like some kind of initiation process?" Lois said walking down the stairs her hair wet from her shower and wearing Clark's red plaid shirt and barely visible shorts. "And also omit information, like how you already had a house guest before you dragged me out here?"

Callie watched as Clark's mouth gaped open then closed as he swallowed back hard. Unable to keep back a chuckle Callie placed her hand over her mouth. Then she saw Clark move his eyes from Lois to her, giving her a stern warning to stop laughing, but that only made her want to laugh more.

"What's so funny?" Lois asked clueless.

"Nothing," Callie said, composing herself. "I'm just overtired. Makes me a little hysterical. And there's plenty of room for you here."

Shaking off Callie's comment she turned to Clark as she dried her hair with her towel. "Smells good," she said, referring to the breakfast, "but I'm going to have to get a rain check on it."

"Why?" Clark asked, evidently confused.

"Well, while you may have all the time in the world apparently, some of us still have to organize our time so we can get to a little thing called 'work', _which_ we're going to be late for, that is if I still have my job after being M.I.A. If I can just get my clothes, a hair dryer, and find you a decent outfit then we can go."

"Lois…"

"What?" She asked annoyed.

Taking a deep breath he said quietly, "I don't work at the Daily Planet anymore."

"What? What do you mean you don't work there anymore?"

"I quit about a month ago."

Callie looked from Clark to Lois then back again. She'd seen those looks before. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"You quit!? Getting fired by Tess is one thing, but you _quit_?" She exclaimed.

"Yes, but Lois… _besides_ , you got home from the hospital only a few hours ago and now you plan to go to work?"

' _Ah, the changing of the subject move. Crafty but will she go for it?'_ Callie thought watching Clark and Lois was like a tennis match at Wimbledon.

"Oh don't try and change the subject, Smallville. Coffee was invented for times such as these. What I want to know is why you quit."

' _Nope. Didn't bite.'_

Callie watched as Clark was silent to her question of quitting. She could answer that one easily for him. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Clark wouldn't be able to work with an empty desk across from him, especially if that desk was none other than that of Lois Lane.

"Fine, you know what, whatever!" She said going over and getting herself a cup of coffee.

A knock at the door further prolonged Clark's response, if he even was able to find one. Watching the stalemate that was the battle of Lois and Clark, Callie got up and answered the door, resuming her adopted butler duties. The woman on the other side had her red hair pulled back in a tight bun and black sleeveless dress on. Callie recognized her face. She recalled it from the photo she had printed out with Chloe, but still thought she knew it in the future somehow. ' _Tess.'_ Callie thought.

"Can I help you?" She asked her.

"I'm here to see Clark." She said, her blue eyes examining her.

Callie narrowed her eyes. She turned her head to Clark who was already making his way to the door. She watched in the corner of her eye as Lois sat down at the counter and inched her head to the side trying to see what was going on.

"What do you want, Tess?" Clark's voice rang with detest.

"A little birdie told me you were at the hospital last night with none other than Lois Lane. I found that piece of information intriguing seeing as what our last conversation was about. Just came here to see for myself if it was true."

Clark opened the door wider to reveal Lois sitting at the counter.

"Tess." Lois said with the same detest in her voice as Clark.

"Lois, good to see that you're okay." She said eyeing Clark.

"What? Hoping for a different outcome?"

"What I'm _hoping_ for is to see you at work in a few hours."

"I still have my job?" Lois questioned, figuring there would be more of a fight.

"If you want it," she replied. As Tess was about to leave she turned to Clark. "What about you, Clark? Willing to come back to the Daily Planet?"

"I'm fine where I am."

Callie watched as Tess watched Clark. She could tell that Tess too was sensing that Clark was acting different than normal.

"Very well then. Lois…Clark." Tess said then turned to Callie and extended her hand. "I'm sorry I don't think I introduced myself earlier. I'm Tess Mercer."

She reluctantly shook it and supplied, "Callie."

Tess smiled at her. It was alarming how wide and artificial it looked.

"Goodbye… _Callie_." They were both on each other's radar.

Callie watched as Tess walked out the door and toward her limo parked in the muddy driveway. During the conversation with Tess, Chloe had pulled up in her car. She hauled a bunch of bags from her car and while passing by each other Tess acknowledged Chloe but Chloe looked at her with contempt. Walking into the kitchen lugging with what looked to be Lois' stuff she asked, "What was that about?"

"Work stuff." Lois said, bringing a mug of coffee to her mouth.

As they started to chatter in the background Callie tuned them out and found herself curious by the limo and whatever its contents were. Using her x-ray vision she saw Tess next to a male whose face she couldn't see. As she was about to use her super hearing to eavesdrop on their conversation she was pulled out of her concentration by Chloe's voice.

"Callie—are you okay?"

Blinking a few times to get her eyes in check she closed the door. "Yeah." Turning to everyone in the room she added sarcastically, "Tess seemed pleasant."

"Oh yeah, a real joy to call my boss." Lois replied, hopping off of the stool. She picked up one of the duffle bags that Chloe brought and headed to the stairs. "And here I am getting ready for an awesome day of work with her hovering over me. I wonder what everyone is going to say when they see me…" She said dramatically, bringing her free hand to her chest and looking upward.

"'Welcome Back Lois' parade at five?" Callie commented, smiling at her.

"Better be. " She said with a wink as she jogged up the stairs.

The wink. The legendary wink. Callie honestly didn't know how much more she could take of this. She was keeping all this information to herself and was ready to burst. The glimpses of her future life made her long for home, but she couldn't leave just yet. As much as she wanted to get home she couldn't leave this place without setting things right, and the main thing was getting Clark back to being Clark.

Hearing the hairdryer go on upstairs Chloe, Clark, and Callie all deemed it safe enough to talk.

"What do you think she _really_ wanted?" Chloe asked.

"She wants to know what happened to Lois as much as we do." Clark replied.

"She's up to something. I don't trust her." Callie said matter of factly.

"Well, that's nothing new." Chloe said.

Expressing his worry Clark said, "I don't think Lois should go to the Daily Planet."

"And how are you going to stop her?" Callie challenged.

"I have to side with Callie on this." Chloe added. "I think we're better off just letting Lois go. Not only will we save ourselves a huge argument but whatever Tess is up to, we have a foot in the door."

' _Yeah since you don't work there anymore, Einstein.'_ Callie thought to Clark.

"Fine." Clark said as he stalked his way out of the kitchen and headed to the barn.

Chloe turned to Callie. "Still no luck getting to him?"

Callie shrugged. "He has his moments. At times I see Clark and other times…"

"I think Clark just needs time."

"Time that we don't have. I don't know how long I've got here and if Zod is in the picture we better hope that Clark finds himself quicker than later."

Chloe sighed heavily as she gazed at the door Clark left through. Turning back to Callie she changed the subject. "Aside from that, how have you been? You must be happy that the search for Lois ended on a happy note."

"It takes some of the edge off, but tension has filled the Kent house so that's fun." She said trying to hide her smile, "But, I think that look on Lois' face when she saw me was priceless."

"How _did_ you explain yourself being here?"

"I came up with an awful excuse of being Clark's cousin."

"I think we'll have to make a complete history for you. If Tess is going to be looking into you, like I know she will be, we better make sure all the bases are covered."

"Well, I'll give you the rundown right now. I'm 18, just finished high school, and enrolled at Met U in the fall."

"Sounds believable."

' _Of course it does, that's because it's true.'_ Callie thought.

"And I'm assuming that you're a Kent?"

Callie's blue eyes widened at the comment, for a second forgetting what they were conspiring. "Yup"

"Well, that's a good start. Welcome to Smallville, Callie Kent," she smiled.

Callie smiled back awkwardly. ' _Callie Kent…'_ She thought. ' _You don't know how right you are.'_

~\~

Clark moved around the barn and tried to think of every job possible to do that would occupy his time and take his mind off of everything. He ended up standing by the window in the loft and watching as Lois got into Chloe's car and drove off toward Metropolis.

Sighing deeply he leaned his head against the wood. Callie and Chloe had had a point: there was nothing he could have done to stop her from going. No matter how much he wanted to protect her, the truth was that she did have a life that she needed to get back to. He couldn't lock her up on the Kent farm all day. It was amazing that he got her on the property in the first place. Heading to the couch he sat down and put his head into his hands. For someone with such strong stamina he was feeling very tired.

"Uh oh, are you back to playing 'Mopey Opie' now?" Callie's voice rang from the stairs.

He kept silent.

"Alright, getting straight to the point …I think you need to get your act together. Lois is going into the lion's den. You need to be prepared."

Lifting his head from his hand he turned to her. "I get it, but shouldn't you be focusing on getting home now since Lois is back. I can take care of everything else."

"Trying to get rid of me already? I'm touched."

"That's not what I meant."

"Whether you want it or not you have an ally here. You're going to need it if Zod shows his ugly face."

"I battled him before."

"Clark, you should know better than anyone that once you go against someone if they come back they don't use the same strategy that got them beaten before. Rule number one, **never** underestimate the enemy."

"Don't tell me, this is part of Callie's Rules of Battle?"

"Something like that, but I can't take credit for them." She said eying him.

Clark turned his head and stared at the floor. He wasn't going to stay here and have Callie lecture him all day. Making his face expressionless he stood up ready to leave.

" _Oooh_ no you don't. Don't do the whole stoic poker face thing again. What happened to the guy that came home this morning with Lois? When you looked at her you had this look in your eye that… I don't know, it was nice to see it. Plus, you came back without the stupid trench coat."

"What about the coat?"

" _Seriously?_ I guess I was the only one who caught the metaphor on that one. And, also, luck for you that opted out of wearing your logo when you found her."

'Yeah, I didn't make enough of those yet,' thinking about how he had just decided to wear his family's symbol. To be honest, he hadn't felt comfortable wearing it just yet. He then thought about her comment about the coat and looked at her quizzically. "All I did was take it off," he said, not seeing its significance.

"Okay, if all you did was _take it off_ what was the reason behind it?" She asked, leaning on the banister of the stairs and folding her arms across her chest.

"I took it off to super jump to Lois' apartment." He explained.

"Exactly," She said pointing her index finger at him. "You did it to save someone close to you who you care about deeply. That's really weird for someone who swore off feeling anything for the people he cared about. Hell, if you knew something was wrong you could have called 911, but you didn't. That jacket is just one of the many layers of you that need to be peeled away. I was hoping that the ' _shedding of the coat_ ' was a sign of progression, but instead I got regression a short time later."

Clark looked straight into her blue eyes. "I'm trying," he said truthfully.

He had been trying. A part of himself had woken up when he found Lois, but the fact was that Jimmy, his friend, was dead and Davis, someone he believed was a victim turned out to be a murderer without Doomsday in his body. He was haunted by it and thinking about it filled him up with the feelings of denying humanity and determination to stop that from ever happening again. While on patrol he had come across criminals and had tweaked his method of dealing with them, becoming a little darker in his approach. He remembered feeling something close to it when he went up against Titan a few years before. He felt powerful without any distractions weighing him down, but he also felt like he was losing a part of himself. With Callie nagging at him it started to make him rethink his attitude. ' _But you have to do this to keep everyone safe,'_ a voice said in his head. ' _Why mess with something that has been working?'_

Watching the conflict on his face empathy had washed over Callie's.

"I know you are." She replied softly. Plastering a smile on her face and chippering up her voice she said, "How about we go back to the house and finish the amazing breakfast you started before I keel over from malnourishment?"

Clark half smiled at her. In the last month he had been avoiding everyone and reveling in being alone. Suddenly, he was glad for Callie being there and understanding him without him actually saying anything. It was what he needed in that instant.

"Come on." She said waving him to the stairs. "When we finish we'll do some chores and then you can go and check up on Lois because I know you're _dying_ to."

Clark stood up and did as she asked. In that moment he felt like Clark once more. He just wondered how long it would last before he felt like retreating again.

~\~

Lois Lane walked down the stairs that she had just walked up the night before. She had been upstairs with human resources and with Tess for over an hour discussing getting her position back. She had also been inundated with old newspapers that had stories written about her disappearance. It was overwhelming and after getting a few breaths of fresh air and a fresh cup of coffee she had made her way to the job she loved minus the person she—' _Don't go there,'_ Lois said to herself. ' _He obviously made his choice.'_ Focusing back on the basement she watched as people looked on with amazement. People who were on the stairs parted like the Red Sea in order to make room for her to make it to the landing.

"Lane. I can't believe it." She heard a voice said.

"We thought you were dead." Another voice said.

"Great to have you back, Lane."

"At the end of the world it'll be Lane and the cockroaches."

She made her way through the crowd to her desk or what was formally her desk. She placed her hand on it and noticed it was empty. She had been informed that someone had taken her desk but they would quickly be relocated so she could have it back. Suddenly, she wondered where all her stuff had gone to. ' _I'll have to ask Chloe.'_ She thought.

"Miss Lane, it's a pleasure to meet you." A voice rang out.

She looked up to see a man occupying the spot next to hers. Fury rapidly came over her. She wanted to scream at the man and tell him that wasn't his desk. That particular feeling of anger was new to her. ' _Who knew that Smallville not being across from me would affect me this much?'_ she thought.

"And you are?" She asked, crossing her arms on her chest and raising her eyebrow to him.

"Corben. John Corben."

She eyed him carefully. He was dressed in a dark blue shirt and a red tie. ' _Looks better on Clark.'_ She thought. ' _Wait, did I just think that? Get your mind off of him, Lane!'_

"Nice to meet you." She mumbled, sitting down on her chair and starting up her computer.

"So, everyone wants to know where you were this entire time." He said, pulling his pad and pen towards him.

"Ha. Nice try, rookie. If anyone is writing the story of my 'excellent adventure' that person will be me."

"Of course." He said.

Lois smiled slyly with an affirmative nod, "So, how about letting me get to my story now."

"Or we could get to know each other better." He offered with a grin.

Lois slowly turned her head to him. She was stunned by his boldness and was in no mood to be hit on. "Look, I get the whole wanting to suck up to me thing, but I think you should lay off," she warned.

"Come on. How about we grab lunch? I'm new in town and since you're back I'm sure there must be a place you're dying to go to."

' _Yeah, back to the Kent Farmhouse,'_ she thought.

"Gee, lunch? Sorry, but I already have plans." She lied.

"Like what?" he asked, not believing her.

"Like none of your business."

"You see the trick to being a good reporter is being able to get to the truth and spot when someone is lying."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, obviously you're playing hard to get. You know, making up a story about having plans and making me try even harder until you eventually break and go out with me."

' _Who the hell does this guy think he is?'_

"You know you're really starting to bug me."

He leaned back in his chair and it started to squeak, which reminded her of Clark and heightened her annoyance with the new guy. Her visible irritation made him smile wider. "See, I'm already starting to grow on you. So how about that lunch?"

"Did you go temporarily deaf before? I said I have plans. And they are with my boyfriend so back off."

Turning her chair toward the exit she saw a familiar figure come walking down the stairs.

' _Thank god!'_ she thought.

She got up and made her way to him, linking her arm with his. At his stunned look she said, "Don't ask any questions just follow my lead, okay?" and pulled him into the bullpen.

She reached for her purse as she pulled him to her desk. Turning to Corben she said, "I'll be taking my lunch now."

Before she could get out of there he pushed himself out of his chair and extended his hand to the man next to her.

"John Corben."

Her fictitious date extended his hand to his and shook it. "Clark Kent."

"Kent? _Kent_?" He said rubbing his chin. "I know that name. "

"That was my desk." He said firmly, almost as if he were marking his territory to Corben.

"That's right." He said pointing his finger at Clark. "Wow, this must be awkward right now, huh?"

Not wanting anymore chit-chat to go on, Lois tugged Clark in the direction of the exit. "Well, we're going to be late, so let's go."

"Wait, I was just getting to know your boyfriend."

" _Boyfriend_?" Clark asked, turning to Lois.

"That's right, _pookey_. The jig is up. I told him I had a significant other. I mean what was I supposed to do? _He kept on asking me to lunch_." Lois said with a fake smile, subtly informing Clark her reason for this sudden contrivance.

"Is it true? Are you guys actually going out?" Corben asked.

Clark looked to her and she stared into his sparkling blue eyes, pleading with him to agree.

"Yes, it's true." Clark confirmed.

"Huh, guess the rumor mill was right."

"Rumor mill?" Lois asked.

"Yeah, everyone thought you were dead and then Kent here quit. When I took the desk people told me that the guy who used to sit here had a deep relationship with you. They all surmised that he couldn't take sitting across an empty desk and that's why he quit."

Lois looked to Clark's face to see if any of that was true. ' _Could it really have been that painful for him to work without me here?'_

Clark cleared his throat and turned to Lois. "We are going to be late so we should go."

' _Of course, when would I ever get a clear answer from him?'_ '

Lois let Clark pull her up the basement stairs and to the street. Once they reached the top they just stopped.

"Clark?" She asked, wondering if he was mad or something.

He turned to her but his face didn't reveal anything. He was his usual mysterious self.

"Yeah?"

"Look, I'm sorry about in there. I couldn't get him to leave me alone so I fed him a line about having a boyfriend and then, _poof,_ you appeared so I figured 'why the hell not'." Studying his face she asked, "Are you mad?"

"No."

"Good. Now what brought you here anyway?"

Clark dug into his pocket and pulled out her press pass. "Lois Lane certainly wouldn't be Lois Lane without this."

She grabbed it and smiled at his kind gesture,"You came all the way here just to give me this?"

"Well…I…" He stumbled. "I also wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Of course you did." She said, trying to fake annoyance when she was actually enjoying his protective nature a bit. Hiding her face from him she began walking down the street. When she felt composed enough, she turned back to see that he wasn't following her. "You coming, Smallville? I'm starving."

"Actually…" He said, his attention seeming to be elsewhere.

"Let me guess, you need to head home and feed the horses or something."

"Lois…"

"No, it's fine." She opened her bag and put her press pass in there. She faintly heard him say he was sorry, but she didn't want to look at him. She was too furious. Instead she kept her head down for a couple more seconds and then when she thought he deserved her attention back she lifted her head to look at him. Feeling a gust of wind hit her she looked up to see that he was gone and she was alone in front of the Daily Planet.

"Typical."

~\~

After watching Clark speed off the check on Lois, Callie sat down at the counter with a pen and pad of paper. She titled it "How the hell do I get home?"at the top. Tapping her pen she thought long and hard. She first wrote 'find the Delorean from Back to the Future' but then crossed it out.

"Think serious." She said to herself.

Picking up the pen again she wrote down, 'Legion Ring,' but getting that ring now would be a long shot and she knew that.

"Why does he always have to hide things in the stupidest places?" She asked, shaking her head.

Biting her bottom lip she thought, ' _I wish I could just wish myself home.'_ Then her eyes widened. "Of course." She said.

Picking up the pen again she wrote down **ZATANNA** and circled it.

Satisfied that she had found a possible answer she decided that she could finally rest for a little while. Turning her attention to the television she said, "T.V. on," but nothing happened. "T.V. on," she commanded again. Getting a little frustrated she was about to say it again when it dawned on her that this wasn't her T.V.

"Right, have to do it the _other_ way."

Picking up the remote off the coffee table she hit the 'on' button. As the picture got clearer Callie flipped through the channels and gasped as recognized a show she hadn't seen since she was younger. "Awesome!" She said sitting on her feet and getting comfortable on the couch.

Just as she was really getting into the show the program cut to the newsroom where reporters were standing by on breaking news in Metropolis. The words on the bottom scrolled 'Bank Robbery in Progress' as they cut to a helicopter shot of the Metropolis Savings and Loan.

Staring at the screen she listened as the television reporter explained the hostage situation in the bank. As the police got into position she watched as everyone became startled when two men wearing black ski masks were tossed out of the glass window of the bank, shattered pieces of glass and debris falling all over the sidewalk. The police then stormed the building and brought out the remaining hostages.

The two offenders were picked up by the police and looked like they were mumbling something. Suspicious of the events Callie decided to use her super hearing to see if she could pick up anything they were saying.

" _He…he…came out of nowhere. He picked us up and tossed us like we weighed nothing. He would have killed us…"_

Callie leaned back into the couch and whispered, "I hope you know what you're doing, Clark."

~\~

Shutting the door to her car Lois stared at the farmhouse. She had been tempted to go straight to her apartment to pass out after the work day she had just finished, but she had decided against it saying to herself that she didn't want to be flung over Clark's shoulder again. As she walked to the front door she recounted the events that had occurred after Clark's disappearance in the afternoon. For starters she didn't get to enjoy her lunch as she was whisked away to a bank robbery a few blocks over. To make matters worse John Corben had shown up as well and still wouldn't leave her alone. Then when she got back to the Planet she went over the witness statements and her mind drifted off to thinking about the Red Blue Blur and if he was behind the apprehension of the armed men . However, going through the archives there had been no sightings of the Red Blue Blur in over a month. She suddenly became worried that he hadn't made it after all. Without her there his letter was never published which filled her with guilt and put a major damper on her mood even more, if that was possible.

Giving the story of the robbery to Corben, which was no easy task, she immersed herself in looking into all the mysterious events over the past month. The methods of catching the criminals were different than the methods of the Red Blue Blur. After sorting through what seemed to be dozens of papers she called it a day on her search for her hero. Instead she searched for the whereabouts of her car. Leaving work a bit early, she finally managed to find the location of her car and was able to pick it up with the keys Chloe had been holding for her. After waiting in traffic for hours because of some car accident, she had finally made it _home,_ for lack of a better term _._

"Smallville?" She called out walking through the front door.

Ever since his disappearance earlier in the day she had been annoyed. She tried to call him, but he wouldn't answer. She didn't know what she was going to say to Clark when she saw him, but it wasn't going to be nice.

"Smallville!" She called out again.

"Clark isn't here." A voice rang from the top of the stairs. She watched Callie walk down adjusting her watch then placing her wet hair in a messy bun. "Last time I saw him he was on his way to Metropolis. He hasn't been back since."

"Well that's Smallville for ya." She said with aggravation.

"You okay?"

"No, I just had the work day from hell and Clark added to it by being his usually charming self and displaying his inability to finish anything he starts."

She watched as Callie intently listened to every word she was saying. It felt nice to be able to vent to someone. She did have Chloe, she knew that, but Chloe was also dealing with a lot of personal stuff at the moment. To vent out to Chloe would make her feel guilty. She didn't want Chloe worrying about anything at the moment.

"You know what, enough about me and my crappy day. Chloe tells me that you're on your way to Met U in the fall."

Callie nodded in confirmation.

"Know what you want to study?"

"I'm interested in all sorts of things but I was thinking about history, criminal justice, or journalism."

"Journalism?" Lois asked, amused. "Big dreams of becoming an intrepid reporter?"

Callie smiled, "Maybe."

"Well, then you should stop by the Daily Planet. I can show you the lay of the land. Plus, you can be my excuse when it comes to dodging certain people."

"Sounds like a plan."

They stood there in awkward silence for a few moments before Lois decided to break it.

"So, you're Clark's cousin…" She began. She knew she shouldn't be asking about Clark, but she couldn't help it. She hoped that maybe she could get some insight on him from someone who has known him a lot longer than she has.

"Yeah, me and Clark… **cousins**!" She said, emphasizing the word 'cousins' in a higher pitch.

"So…" Lois said tipping her head in the direction of the kitchen, indicating Callie to follow her. "How has he been lately?" Lois asked sinking onto a stool.

"Well, for that," Callie began, grabbing two spoons from the silverware drawer. "We're going to need ice cream."

Pulling out a giant tub of ice cream from the freezer she placed in between the both of them. ' _Clinking'_ their spoons together they dug in.

"Clark has been different lately. I know that after losing someone you tend to put things in perspective, but I think that he's just really conflicted over what happened to his friend. He's just been real un-Clark-like." Callie said, taking a spoonful of ice cream.

"Like the wardrobe for starters…" Lois added.

"Exactly! It's sad what happened and I understand that he needs to cope, but I thought that I could talk some sense into him. I thought it was working, but I don't know. I've kind of just let him be for now."

"Clark Kent is complex." Lois said putting the spoon in her mouth.

"No, Clark Kent is an onion."

"An onion?" Lois questioned.

"Yeah, Clark has all these layers like an onion. To get to the core of Clark Kent you have to go through the process of peeling back the layers, which is difficult and may produce tears along the way…" she trailed off. Her eyes began to dart back and forth like she lost her train of thought. "Okay, I know I had a good point in this analogy."

"I think I get what you're going." Lois said pointing her spoon at her. "Clark makes us cry."

Callie chuckled, "No. What I mean is…is that in order for us to get to ' _Clark'_ we have to get rid of whatever layers he's placed on himself. It's going to be difficult because he's so stubborn, but I think the problem has been not being able to _metaphorically_ … 'find the sharpest tool to use' if that makes sense." She shook her head, "Chloe has tried, and while I'm sharp with my tongue and wits, I didn't get much further. I think what we needed was you."

Lois snapped her head up. "Me?"

"He's different when he's around you. What do you say? Are you game in trying to bring Clark Kent back from the dead?"

Lois took another scoop and ice cream and shoved it into her mouth. Ever since she reappeared from wherever she was she'd been around Clark. She had seen _some_ change in him but… ' _Why is that he's been the most normal with me? Is Callie right?'_ Hopefully, if Clark got some sense back into him he would come back to the Daily Planet and back to her. She looked at Callie whose eyes were pleading with Lois, just like hers had been pleading with Clark earlier in the day.

"I'm in, but what exactly am I supposed to do that's going to create this miraculous change?"

"Nothing. All you have to do is be yourself." Lois wasn't sure if she believed her and her face showed that. Reacting to her facial expression Callie said, "Trust me."

Weird thing was…she did.


	9. Chapter Eight: There Goes My (Guitar) Hero, Watch Him As He Goes

**Chapter Eight:** _There Goes My (Guitar) Hero, Watch Him As He Goes_

Clark walked onto the porch of the farmhouse, leaned over the railing, and stared at the stars. The sky was so clear and the stars seemed to shine exceptionally bright. As he stared at all the different constellations the events of the day were repeated in his mind. He had spent part of his day stopping a bank robbery a few blocks away from the Daily Planet, before that he had been with Lois in the basement of the newspaper. On his way to the robbery feelings inside of him had started to stir. He hadn't liked that John Corben guy that he met and in just thinking about him certain emotions started to swell within him. When he made it to the site of the robbery to stop the thieves his feelings burst out of him in his action to immobilize them. He didn't know what it was that came out of him. He was sincerely trying to not be as aggressive as he had been for the last month, but after meeting that guy and the way he had been looking at Lois…

Unexpectedly, Clark was feeling the same emotion rise in his body again.

' _Am I jealous?'_ He thought.

He shook his head trying to purge the thought. He couldn't be jealous, no, he wouldn't be jealous. It was feelings like that which invaded his mind and created weakness. If his feelings for Lois escalated, he knew that it would change everything forever. After the bank incident he had stopped other petty crimes around Metropolis then passed by a car accident, but no victims were at the scene. It bothered him, but since no one was there there was nothing he could do.

Opening the front door he saw flashes of light from the television screen illuminate the living room. He walked further in to see Callie and Lois snuggled together giggling under a red blanket watching a movie.

" _And_ …she's going up the stairs." Lois remarked, slapping her thigh in annoyance.

"What-a- _ **dummy**_!" Callie sang as she hit the back of her head on the top of the couch.

He thought he should have felt strange or weirded out by the scene before him. Instead what he saw almost seemed like a natural occurrence. The way Callie and Lois were together in that moment-if anyone but him had walked in they would most likely assume that Callie and Lois had known each other a lot longer than just a day. It was actually nice to be a witness to the comfortable scene.

Breaking out of the trace he was under he made his way to the television only to suddenly have popcorn thrown at him.

" _Booooo_!" Callie said hurling the popcorn in his direction.

"Move it, Smallville, we're in the middle of a movie right now." Lois said, flinging popcorn at him as well.

His right shoulder and arm lifted into the air to try and shield himself from the popcorn attack.

"There are college kids in a really unrealistic dorm situation being hunted down by a crazed doctor who has been dead for decades. Move!" Callie expertly explained, using her hands to shoo him away.

Clark quickly got out of the way and sat down in the only available seat on the couch and it was the one next to Lois. Then the comfort level dropped and the discomfort began to slither up. He looked from Lois to Callie and then turned his attention to the movie. As a particular gory scene played across the screen, he felt Lois turn her head into his shoulder. That in itself was weird because he never pegged Lois to be scared of anything, particularly a cheesy movie like the one they were watching.

Slowly she picked her head up and looked up at him. He stared into her eyes. For the longest time he had missed those eyes staring back at him. "Sorry there, Smallville." She said wiping his shoulder where her face just landed and bringing him back to reality. "Guess that was too gruesome for these eyes to handle."

"That's _o-kay_ ," he slowly replied.

Lois slightly smiled and turned away from him. Getting his mind back on track he tried to pull his attention to the movie, but he caught a glance of Callie's face and saw a smirk on it.

' _What does she know?'_ He thought to himself.

Getting back to the movie he tried to follow the plot. The camera panned into a kitchen and followed as one of the female characters talked on the phone and began to chop vegetables on the countertop.

"Look, Callie," she said pointing to the onion on the counter next to the girl.

Callie snorted as she burst out into laughter and Lois soon followed. He, of course, didn't understand what they were laughing about.

"What?" he asked, clearly clueless.

Lois said catching her breath and giving him a mild sympathetic look. "It's an inside joke between us girls."

He turned to Callie and she just shrugged in his direction.

As soon as the movie was over, Callie got up and switched the lights on. "Well, that was the best movie in cinematic history."

"Yeah, I liked that only six characters were seen to live in an entire dorm building _and_ each had an entire room to themselves. _Very_ realistic. It's like they turned my college experience into a movie." She said sarcastically.

"Wouldn't your college experience be called 'The Hangover'?" Clark smirked.

"Ha. Ha." She retorted. Looking at her watch, "Well, It's pretty late," Lois said stretching her arms. "That was nice though, made me forget about my hellish day."

"Yeah, it was nice." Callie agreed.

Lois smiled and climbed off the couch. Clark could see that she was again dressed in the same red plaid shirt as she had been wearing in that morning. Waving to both of them and stifling a yawn, she traveled up the stairs to the spare room.

Clark watched Lois go up the stairs. He knew she was okay, but he still felt compelled to watch her to make sure that nothing happened. Satisfied that she was completely alright he turned to Callie hoping to get some questions answered.

"Inside joke?" He asked.

"What?" She asked, innocently. Then she smiled, "We _bonded._ "

"Yeah, I'm sure." He grinned.

"So what happened this afternoon?" Callie asked.

"What do you mean?"

It was a stupid thing to ask because he knew full well what she was asking about.

"I mean two men mysteriously thrown out of a window at a bank robbery today."

"What about it?" he asked, avoiding her gaze and moving to the kitchen.

"You think you threw them hard enough? Did you say ' _alley oop'_ as you did it?"

"I admit that it was a little more forceful than I intended, but they _were_ fine." He defended even though he knew that it was a lame defense.

"Okay," was all she said.

"Okay?" he questioned. "What, no lecture?"

"Nope. I trust that you know what you're doing. That doesn't mean I won't have a clever comment on hand, but like you said, you're trying." She smiled assuring, repeating the words he had said that morning.

"Thank you," rolled off his lips.

He had predicted that Callie would remark about his save, but her comment was unexpected and amazed him. He was tired of the lectures and the constant sermon that he was a hero, or was destined for greatness, and that he needed to watch what he was doing. After he had admitted to her this morning that he honestly had been trying to change his ways she accepted it and listened to him. She trusted him and he hadn't felt trusted in a while.

"Night, Clark." She said slumping on the couch and pulling the blanket over her.

"Night Callie." He said traveling to the stairs. He turned back once more to glance at her on the couch then turned back. As he walked up the staircase he heard Lois sneeze and then yell, "Shelby!" The dog then dashed out of the room, past him, and down the set of steps.

"Ugh! That dog!" He heard her complain.

Clark opened the door, "Everything okay?"

"I just have _doggy drool_ all over my pillow. So, yeah, everything is peachy," she said, throwing her pillow down and wiping her hand on the red plaid shirt she was wearing.

Clark couldn't hold back a smile as he watched her reaction. "I'll get you another one," he said opening the closet and pulling out an extra pillow. "Here," he chuckled, throwing it at her.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

As he was about to turn to leave Lois said, "Callie's a good kid. I like her."

"Really?"

"Yeah, where have you been hiding her? I never heard you mention her before."

"Well, she and I…" he said, but stopped. "Well, we never…" he trailed trying to find the right words to use as he was caught on the spot.

Lois put her hand up to stop him, "Say no more, Clark. No one has to get along with their family one hundred percent of the time. Sometimes it's really difficult to get along with one another even if you share the same DNA. I'm the poster child for that one."

Clark nodded recalling being a bystander to Lois and the other members of the Lane family. Lois loved her family, he knew that, but getting along with Lucy and her General father was difficult for her.

"So, how _did_ you and Callie hit it off so well?" He asked, desperately wanting to know how they became so close that they were already sharing inside jokes.

"Lest we forget, I do have a sister," she said, throwing the pillow she was still holding on the bed. "Besides," she continued, "I see a lot of myself in her."

"Maybe that's why we don't get along so well," Clark snarked, getting closer to her.

"Probably, too much woman for you to handle," Lois smirked, her ponytail swaying behind her as she inched closer to him.

Clark felt like an invisible force was reeling him in closer to Lois. He wanted nothing more than to continue their banter until it ended up in a….

' _No,'_ Clark commanded in his thoughts. ' _This is Lois. You don't feel that way about Lois.'_ His head tried to convince him, but the way his body was responding rebelled against those orders. However, his mind began to win. Noticing that they were getting dangerously close to each other, Clark started to pull back toward the door. "Good night, Lois."

"Night, _Onion_." She laughed.

He cringed, confirming that their inside joke had been about him. "I think I prefer ' _Smallville'_ to ' _Onion'_."

Lois nodded, "I think you're right. Night, Smallville."

Their eyes met one last time before he closed the door. As he walked into his room and fell into his bed he planned to fall asleep quickly, but his plans were soon dashed. No matter what he did, from counting sheep to counting whatever was around, Clark couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he'd see images of Jimmy or Doomsday or Lois disappearing again. As he tossed and turned and tried desperately to get _some_ sleep, a scratching at his door ended any chance of that. Getting up he opened the door to find Shelby sitting in front of him, a soft whine coming from him.

"What is it, buddy?" he asked as he pet the head of the golden retriever. "Is it Lois?" he asked as he darted to her room.

He opened the door to reveal her peaceful sleeping form. Clark let out a breath of relief. Suddenly, feeling a tug at his pant leg, he looked down to see Shelby trying to pull him toward the stairs. After closing Lois' door he heard a faint crash come from the living room. Rushing down the stairs he made it around the couch to witness Callie in a violent dream, the coffee table knocked over. She was whimpering as her head shot from side to side.

"Callie," he whispered to her, hoping it would wake her up.

To his dismay, she seemed to still be struggling in whatever dream she was having. As he was about to try and hold her still to calm her down Callie shot up, still asleep, and grabbed him crying out, "Dad!"

~\~

_Callie rubbed her eyes as she slowly opened them. Sitting up on the couch she looked around her surroundings to find that she was home, in her time. Hopping off the couch she ran through the house searching all the rooms calling out "Dad! Mom!" but no one seemed to be home._

_Faintly hearing a rumbling she walked into the kitchen and shielded her eyes as a bright light pierced through the cracks in the door. Walking toward the door she opened it and was suddenly transported to the middle of the corn field on the farm. Whipping her head in every direction, she had a bad feeling come over her. Hearing something approach her from behind she turned around only to be forcefully pushed back in the field a few hundred yards. Hitting the ground hard she pushed herself up and searched for whatever did that to her._

" _Show yourself." Her voice demanded in a seething tone._

_Another hit came at her, she was again flung into the air, and landed on the ground hard on her back. Staring at the clear blue sky above her she saw a black figure fly whip over her._

" _It's you again," she said._

_Getting up again she shouted, "Is that all you got? You have to resort to cheap shots to get me down?"_

_Hearing someone land beside her Callie's lips curved into a smirk. Seeing the woman out of the corner of her eye she used all her strength and round-house kicked her straight into the side of the barn._

" _Two can play that game." Callie said as she flew after her._

_Landing in the barn the woman was nowhere to be seen in the debris. "You've got to be kidding me. That should have knocked her out for sure." Callie commented, clearly confused._

" _Don't underestimate your enemy, remember?" A voice rang above her._

_Callie looked up and the woman jumped down on her and placed a piece of kryptonite on her chest. The pain in Callie's head was overwhelming._

" _You really should know better than go up against someone as dangerous as me, little girl."_

" _Who you calling little?" She managed to say through the pain._

_The woman smirked and brushed a piece of hair out of her face. Callie turned away from her touch._

" _It's so sad. You're all alone now." She said in a soothing voice._

" _What do you mean?"_

" _They're all gone. I made sure of that." She wickedly smiled._

" _You bitch." She breathed out in pain._

" _Tsk. Tsk. I don't condone that type of language."_

_Callie mustered all the strength she had and pushed the woman off of her, the kryptonite rolling away from her and losing its power over her._

_As the woman landed against one of the wooden posts Callie quickly sped to her. She raised her leg up and positioned her foot on the woman's neck. She pressed down hard enough that the women couldn't move, but could still breathe._

" _Where are they? And who are you?" She demanded._

" _Tempus neminem_ _manet" she said as blood dribbled out of her mouth. With a maniacal laugh she smiled and looked straight behind Callie._

_As Callie turned her head she saw her father strung up, his face bloody and beaten, his costume torn at the chest with an 'S' painted in blood there instead._

" _No!" She cried._

_Slowly his head lifted weakly. In a strained voice he said, "Callie…help…me…"_

" **DAD!"** She screamed, reaching out for him and grabbing the body in front of her.

Opening her eyes and taking in her surroundings she soon realized she wasn't home. Slowly pulling back she saw the face of the person holding her so comfortingly. Sadness overcame her as she noticed, yet again, that he too was like everything else in this place, the same but different.

"Sorry." She whispered.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just need some fresh air." She said, throwing the blanket off of her and pushing herself away from him. She opened the front door, walked out onto the porch, sat on the swing and brought her knees to her chest.

There was a a breeze in the air and Callie welcomed it on her hot skin. She didn't even realize she was sweating. She extended her hand out before her face and watched as it shook. Her body was evidently still in shock from the dream.

' _What if it was real? What if he's helpless right now and needs my help?'_

She wrapped her arms around her knees and stared out into the darkness and unconsciously tugged at the long chain hidden underneath her shirt. Hearing a squeak in the boards on the porch she knew Clark had come out to see her. Standing in front of her she could see the look of panic in his eyes and noticed he came out with a glass of water. She took the glass offered to her and thanked him.

"You want to tell me what that dream was about?"

' _Or more importantly why I called you 'dad'?'_ she thought.

"I was dreaming about my family…" She said honestly.

"And what happened before you got here?"

"Yeah," she breathed out, reliving the dream again in her head.

She looked at his face and had an image from her dream flash in her head. She turned away from him and continued to stare into the darkness. Her bottom lip started to tremble as tears filled her eyes, but she quickly bit down on it and blinked her tears away. Clark must have witnessed how hard she was trying to keep herself together because he enveloped her in a hug.

He placed his hand behind her and began to rub her back. "It's going to be okay. We'll find you a way home."

Callie closed her eyes to the familiar motion and just listened to his voice as he talked.

"I used to have nightmares, too. They happened frequently when I was younger."

' _I already knew that. I inherited the Elmer Fudd nightlight,_ ' she thought.

"My mom and dad tried all sorts of things to help me with them. But when my mom would hold me and rub my back in such a gentle way that I would just forget I had even had a nightmare…"

' _And you would fall asleep and not have a nightmare for the rest of the night,'_ she finished.

"And I would fall asleep and not have a nightmare for the rest of the night."

Slowly she leaned into his side and placed her head on his shoulder. It was a moment like this that she forgot she traveled back to the past. How they were interacting in that moment was so natural and had happened countless times before. She didn't want it to end because once it did it would mean she really was stuck in the past and she would have to wait and hope to find her ticket home.

~\~

After a few moments Clark realized that Callie was asleep again. He took the cup from her hands and placed it on the table next to the swing. She had looked so frightened when she woke up. He was startled when she grabbed him, but one look of her face and all he wanted to do was protect her. She tried really hard to keep herself together, but he knew all she had wanted to do was unleash her emotions. Looking at her now all he could see was this fragile being asleep on the porch.

Gently scooping her into his arms he carried her up the stairs and into his room, placing her in the bed. He knew the couch wasn't the best place to sleep, he'd slept there while Lois occupied his room during her initial stay at the farm, so letting Callie get a good night's sleep in the bed seemed to be the best thing to do for her. Placing the blanket on her he watched as Shelby snuck in the room and hopped in the bed.

"Are you keeping an eye on her too, boy?" he asked, petting the top of the dog's head. "Thanks for letting me know about her before."

The dog licked his hand then laid his head on his paws in Callie's direction.

As Clark was about to leave he found it hard to walk through the door. He remembered when he was a kid that he'd have all sorts of nightmares. He'd become incredibly afraid of the dark and his Elmer Fudd nightlight became his best friend. At times when his mother or father came to comfort him he didn't want them to leave and they would just stay by his bedside as he slept. Strangely he had the feeling that he should stay and watch over her. Though she may be quite a bit older than he was when he received that treatment, she was so **far** away from home and her parents that he thought she needed some kind of support.

This was against everything that he had been trying to achieve for himself in the past month, but there was no denying what he was feeling inside. He silently walked over to the closet and opened the door. He reached up into a box on the high shelf. When he felt the object he intended to grab, he pulled it out and plugged it into the outlet outside the door.

' _Hello, old friend_ ,' he thought, looking at the illuminated face of Elmer Fudd.

He closed the closet door and placed his back against the wall. He watched Callie as she slept and hoped that this time her sleep was filled with only pleasant dreams.

~\~

As the sun began to rise in the distance its bright rays shined through the curtains onto Lois' face. Feeling the warmth she proceeded to hide her face in her pillow, hoping to keep sleeping just a little bit longer. The rooster, however, was fully awake and the sound of its crow woke her up completely.

"Stupid bird," she said into her pillow.

Lifting her head up slightly she caught a glimpse of the time. **5 A.M**.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

Placing the pillow over her head she tried, but was unable, to mask the cry of the rooster. Throwing her pillow to the ground she got up in a bad mood and exited her room. Walking into the hallway she saw that Clark's door was ajar and peered in to view his body next to the door. Worried she opened the door further to see Callie asleep in his bed and him asleep sitting next to the doorway.

"Clark," she whispered as she bent down next to him.

Clark awoke startled and looked at Lois. "Lois?" he asked.

"What happened?"

She watched as Clark looked to Callie and then tilted his head toward the stairs, informing her to move out of the room with him. Traveling down the stairs they walked into the kitchen and Clark headed straight for the coffee maker to put coffee on.

' _Thank god. I'm so going to need that,'_ she thought.

"What happened?" She asked again.

"Callie is suffering from nightmares. I figured she might have a better night sleep in a nice bed, but I didn't want to leave her so I slept by the door."

Lois nodded as he explained and concluded, "She's homesick."

Clark's head snapped up and looked into her eyes. "How do you know that?"

"Come on, Clark, she's suddenly plopped here in the middle of nowhere away from her friends and family. I had nightmares when I stayed here, too." She smirked, "I remember one about a guy in a _red cape_ …"

"Very funny, Lois, but you didn't see her. It was pretty bad."

"Just make her feel at home. And by feel at home you actually have to be here with her and not vanish off or whatever you do. Spend time with her."

"And do what?" he questioned, plopping down on a stool and resting his head on his hand.

He looked lost. She actually started to feel bad for him. He probably hadn't asked for a new houseguest, especially one that was a teenage girl that he hardly knew, to move in with him. She knew it was hard, though hard was an understatement. If bringing up Lucy had taught her anything it was that.

"Look, Smallville, I don't have time to handhold. Do something she wants to do," she said leaning against the counter.

"I really don't know her that well." He admitted.

"Well, then _ask_ her. Do whatever will take her mind off her homesickness. I don't know. Just make it fun. You do know what _fun_ is right?"

Clark made a face at her saying, "Yes, I know what _fun_ is," and Lois just laughed.

Walking behind him she pulled out two bowls and opened up the refrigerator to get the milk and pulled the cereal off the shelf. She placed it all on the counter and pulled two spoons from the drawer. Clark got up and pulled out two mugs and poured them coffee. They both sat down at the island across from one another.

"How was your first day back at the Daily Planet?" Clark asked, grabbing a bowl and the cereal box.

"Before or after you deserted me yet again?" She asked, grabbing her own bowl and the box of cereal from him.

"Sorry about that."

"Don't even. I'm past it now." She said, not making eye contact with him and missing the hurt look that came across his face.

She was still angry at him, but she coughed up his actions to some kind of Peter Pan syndrome a long time ago.

"It didn't really matter anyway; by the time you left I had to get to a bank robbery." She said, grabbing the milk.

"Sounds like a good story." He commented.

"Yeah, it did…" she said softly.

"What do you mean did?" He questioned, his facial expression displaying shock as he put a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

"I gave it up." She said, nonchalantly and taking a sip of her coffee and making a bitter face at the taste of it.

Clark stopped mid bite. "You gave it up? That doesn't sound like you, Lois."

"Maybe I gave it up to work on something bigger." She said getting up to get some sugar.

"What could be bigger than that?"

"You wouldn't understand." She said, shaking her head. She looked at the counter and suddenly couldn't remember why she had gone over there in the first place.

"Try me."

Taking a deep breath she turned to him and said, "I'm looking for the Red-Blue-Blur."

"Really?" He said in disbelief.

"See, I knew you would look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm crazy."

"I'm not looking at you like you're crazy. Any luck finding him?" He asked, not making eye contact.

"No," she sighed. "After Doomsday he's nowhere to be found …" she trailed off looking sad and sitting back down.

"What's wrong?"

"I feel guilty." She said picking up her spoon and poking at her cereal.

"Guilty about what?" He asked, intrigued.

' _I guess I should just tell him. I've poured everything else out so far, what difference would this make?'_ she thought.

"He left me a letter and he wanted me to publish it in case he didn't… _make it_." She said, the last part she had a hard time getting out. She shuddered trying to rid the thought of him not making it but it kept creeping up in her head. "I've checked all the archives. There's no sign of the Red-Blue-Blur." She sighed, defeated. "Just someone else trying to be him."

"And you feel guilty that you weren't able to publish the letter." He stated, but it came out more like a question.

"Even if I wanted to, I don't even know where it is. My stuff is unaccounted for."

"I think I might be able to help with that." He said getting up and walking over to the closet. Opening it up he pulled out a box and and walked back over, placing it on the dining room table.

"You had my stuff? Why?" She asked, following him.

She couldn't believe he had her things, though she should've guessed when he brought her her press pass. She touched all the items at the top of the box and looked up at him.

' _Why did you have this stuff, Clark? Was it because you missed me? Was it because you were searching for me?'_

"Chloe dropped it off right before you reappeared. She wanted to see if I could find some clue about what had happened to you, but I never really had a chance to go through it because…there you were…." He tried to explain.

' _Right. It's not like you're at the top of his priority list, Lois.'_

"Oh." She uttered, with a hint of disappointment. "You know what, I should probably start to get ready for work."

Clark simply nodded at her. Trekking back up the stairs she walked back into her room and sat on the edge of the bed. Being with Clark and feeling her affection for him and then worrying over the Red-Blue-Blur took its toll on her.

Balling her hands in to fists she held them tight and let out a deep breath. Once she did that she opened up the closet and searched for her work clothes. In the process she accidently tipped over a box of Clark's and tried to pick up the spilled contents. When she started to pick them up she noticed that they were all newspaper clippings. Sorting through them she saw headlines like "Daily Planet Reporter Missing" and "Search and Recover: DP Reporter Lois Lane on the List" among others regarding Doomsday. She also picked up several maps that had cross-outs in red pen all over them.

She looked up from the stuff in amazement.

' _Maybe he had been looking for me after all.'_

~\~

Callie kicked her blanket off of her and pulled her pillow closer to her body. Breathing in the scent of the pillow a wide smile materialized across her face. The scent conjured up all sorts of memories. A memory of her at five-years-old beat out all the others.

 _She could see herself opening the door to her parents' room holding on tightly to her stuffed bunny. She climbed up onto the bed and wedged herself between her parents quietly. Putting her arms around her daddy, she breathed in the way he smelled and felt safety wash over her._ _She felt him stir under her grasp and he opened his eyes slightly._

" _Callie?" he asked._

" _Hi, daddy," she whispered with a toothy grin._

" _What are you doing in here?"_

" _I had a bad dream, can I sleep with you and mommy?"_

_A small grin appeared on his face as he nodded gently._

" _Sure" he said, placing the comforter over her, tucking her in the best he could. His hand moved to her tiny back and he began to rub it as she hugged him tight._

" _I love you, daddy…"she breathed into his chest._

" _I love you, too sweetie."_

" _You're my hero…"_

The word 'hero' echoed in her mind as the scene disappeared. Suddenly, she became very unpleasant as she felt hot breath on her. Opening one eye and still very sleepy she saw a dog panting in her face. "Ugh, Krypto," she groaned, pushing his face away from hers. Trying to get back to sleep she sprung up realizing she was not at her home nor was she on the couch where she previously was asleep. Taking in the environment she concluded that Clark had put her up there.

Getting up, she walked down the stairs to an empty house. "Lois? Clark?" She called out, but no one answered. "Awesome. Alone again," she said rolling her eyes.

Going over to the shelf in the kitchen she pulled down the cereal and jumped a bit when the door opened.

"Hey." Clark said, walking in.

"Hey…you're…uh…home." She said in disbelief.

"Yeah, I know I haven't been around so I thought we could spend the day together."

" _Spend the day together?_ " She questioned.

' _This is odd,'_ she thought.

"This doesn't have anything to do with what happened last night does it?" She asked.

Clark hesitated before he spoke and pressed his lips together. "I'm going to find you a way home, but I don't know how long it will take. " Callie nodded as he spoke. "We should get to know each other better in the meantime."

"Get to know each other better…" She repeated softly.

"So, what would you like to do?"

She stood silently, still stunned by his suggestion of...hanging out? If he was willing to do something like that, she wasn't going to deny the opportunity. While it would take her mind off of the dead end of possibilities of getting home at that moment, Clark was opening up. She had to get him to continue on that path. She could come up with some activities if he was up for them.

"Uh, well, now that I think of it there are a couple things that I want to do."

"Great. What are they?"

Callie smiled as she thought of the perfect thing.

Soon Callie and Clark were galloping on horses on one of the many trails near the farm. Callie turned around to see Clark far behind her. "Come on slowpoke, keep up!" She yelled, riding further ahead of him. Once she had proved how awesome she was on horseback she stopped the horse and let Clark catch up.

"You're really good." He said.

"I know." She said as she looked at his face and laughed.

She _was_ starting to feel more comfortable. She always loved riding her horse around the farm. Ever since she was little she would ride horses or play with all the different animals, especially the bunnies that would come around. It was always a place where her problems could melt away, where she could just enjoy nature and the quiet that came along with it.

"I've been riding ever since I was a little kid. When most kids ask for a pony they never get one. I, however, was born into a family that had access to them," she smiled. "I was one lucky kid. I even wanted to be a jockey once, but that dream faded when I figured out what a jockey actually did…" she rambled.

She couldn't believe she just said all of that. Granted it wasn't anything that revealed who she actually was, but the fact that she just let all that information out was both scary and releasing at the same time.

' _As long as I don't reveal any names I should be fine. What's the harm in telling a few stories?'_ She thought to herself.

"Did you take lessons?"

"No, I just rode with my dad. Kind of like how we are now." Callie's eyes popped out of her head after she realized what she had just said.

' _Okay, that might have been too much'_

"Race you back to the stalls!" She called out as she raced away from him trying desperately to leave behind what she had just spilled and hoped that Clark wouldn't connect that comment to him.

_~/~_

Arriving back at the house Clark had a hard time keeping up to Callie. When she brought him to the stalls he figured that he'd have to teach her how to ride, but to his surprise she could probably teach him some things. Watching her ride actually made him happy because he could see how at ease she was. She even threw in a few tidbits of her life, which he had hoped for but certainly didn't expect. The thing that touched him most was when she revealed that she rode with her father and that it was like what they had just been doing. Ever since she had called out for her father from her nightmare he could see how worried she was about him and how he must be on her mind.

' _Maybe she's seeing me in place of him since she's here'_ he thought.

Following her into the house he asked, "So what now?"

She smiled at him and skipped into the living room. "I think I know what we can do next."

"What's that?"

"Well, it concerns me kicking your butt in a musical fashion."

Clark eyed her confused. Her eyes moved over to the television console. Still confused she strained her eyes further in the direction until he saw the guitar.

"Ah. So you think you can beat me?"

"Oh. I _know_ I can beat you."

Both of them smiled at each other at the challenge.

Heading over to the television he picked up one of the guitars he had and handed it to her. He watched as she examined the buttons and placed the strap around her shoulders. Searching in the back of the console he found the second guitar, one Lois had purchased a while back. He loaded the game and the both of them stood side by side as they waited for the graphics of the game to load up.

Once they did Clark turned to Callie and said, "You're the guest so you get first pick."

He watched Callie bite her bottom lip as she searched through the catalog of songs. "Here, this one."

"Are you sure? That's pretty hard."

"I didn't mean for me," she slyly smirked. "I want you to play this since you're _so_ good at this game."

"Oh, so that's how we're playing this, huh? Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." He stated playfully.

She smiled at him as he got his hand in position and waited for the song to start. As his fingers went from green, to red, to yellow, to blue, he could see out of the corner of his eye that Callie was studying his movements. He figured that she was doing it just to figure out how to play the game, but something inside him whispered that it was something else she was looking at. Placing his mind back on the screen and he played the notes to the song and as the difficult solo came up his fingers moved rapidly to keep up to the colors on the screen.

When the song finished he scored even higher than he had when he had previously played the song. Turning to an invisible audience he bowed and said, "Thank you. Thank you."

"Yuck it up. I'm next."

Clark snapped his head to Callie. It was like déjà vu. Lois had said those same exact words to him, minus a "Smallville" when they had played this before. ' _Weird'_ he thought.

He focused on Callie's playing as the same song began again. From the grimace on her face he could see that she knew she wasn't going to beat him. She was missing some notes, but was doing fairly well. That is, until the solo came about and her fingers were all over the place and she was fumbling. When the song ended she sighed as she turned to him.

"Are you sure this is calibrated right to the television?"

"Worked for me," he shrugged.

She narrowed her eyes at him. She inspected her fingers then glanced at his. "You cheated didn't you? That solo was _way_ too hard _._ I saw you when you were playing. I thought your fingers were moving way too fast. I try to play fair and you go and cheat…"

"I did not cheat."

Callie wrinkled her nose up as she said, "I don't know if I trust you anymore…"

~\~

Lois slammed her car door in frustration as she headed toward the porch of the farmhouse. It seemed that was her routine when she came back from the Daily Planet. In the morning she had gotten to work and was met with an empty desk across from her. Hoping her wish had finally come true, she sat at her desk and got to work only to have her hopes dashed when John Corben stumbled into the Daily Planet completely disoriented and what appeared to her as hung over. The thing that amazed her the most was that when he had gotten up to get himself a cup of coffee he dropped his cup all over himself. A cup of scalding hot coffee soaked his clothes and he didn't make a peep as to the intensity of the heat or that he had been burned. Then she hoped he'd go home, but no, even through his disorientation and second degree burns he still managed to stare at her.

Her lunch with Chloe had been a reprieve, but when she got back she rearranged her whole desk just to create some kind of blockade. She almost got as far as putting up a Daily Planet folder on her desk like she used to in school when students would take a test. She couldn't stay any longer so she left early and brought her work home with her, which included a few copies of the day's paper, where printed on page three an article of her being returning alive and well to the Planet could be found. She was just happy to be away from Googly-Eyes McGee and debated whether or not to take the next day off just to recuperate.

Walking into the house she heard loud voices coming from the living room.

"I don't know if I trust you anymore… I think you cheated. You _totally_ cheated!" She heard Callie's voice say.

"I did not." She heard Clark call back.

Walking in further, she saw both of them with guitars in their hands playing Guitar Hero. A smile crept on her face as she watched the both of them interact. She looked down at her bags and had almost forgotten what she had bought during her lunch break for Callie.

"Hey, guys." She said.

The both of them looked back and took their guitars off.

"Hey Lois!" Callie smiled.

"I bought something for you." Lois said holding up the shopping bag.

"You bought something for me?" Callie asked, pointing to herself.

"Yup. I passed by this store with Chloe and I knew you just had to have it," She said pulling out a blue shirt and tossing it to Callie.

Callie placed it against her chest revealing the words 'Metropolis University' in yellow letters. "Wow, thank you," she breathed, genuinely touched.

"If you're going to be going to school there you mind as well show some type of school spirit."

"I love it." She said softly and stared at it, her mind clearly elsewhere.

' _I hope I didn't make her feel worse. Nice going, Lois.'_ She thought rolling her eyes inwardly to herself.

"What are you doing back so early?" Clark asked, worry lines starting to appear on his face.

"Rest easy, Smallville. All is well in Whoville." She said, regarding herself. "The guy who took your job," she said with distaste, "wouldn't stop staring at me for two seconds. It was irritating the hell out of me. So, I decided to cut my day short and bring the rest of my work here. So," She began as she tried to change the subject, "what have you guys been doing all day?"

"We went horseback riding…" Clark started to say.

"Then we came back and I'm sad to say that I officially suck at this version of Guitar Hero." Callie interjected. "But Clark totally cheated…" She whispered to Lois, her moving her hand to the side of her mouth so Clark couldn't see it.

"Well, we'll just have to do something about that, won't we?" Lois said, as she walked over with determination and picked up the guitar that Callie had been using.

"Lois, what are you doing?" Clark asked.

"I'm not going to let Callie lose to you, Smallville. I'm taking the reins now." She said in a low playful voice and smirked at him.

Clark snorted, "Should I be scared?"

She raised an eyebrow to him, "What do you think?"

"Alright, let's do this." Clark said, putting his strap to the guitar back over his shoulder.

Lois turned back and winked at Callie. Turning back to the screen she let Clark choose the song. She smiled wide at his choice.

' _Oh, he's going to get it now.'_

~\~

Chloe drove up the driveway of the Kent farm and parked her car next to Lois' vehicle.

' _I wonder why she's back so early'_ Chloe thought to herself.

Though she could garner three guesses and probably get it in one. John Corben. Lois couldn't stand the guy. At first she was reminded of the way Lois used to talk about Clark, but as their lunch went on she could sense the repugnance she had for the guy. It took Chloe only a couple moments to realize the real reason she didn't like him… he wasn't Clark.

Exiting her car she went over to the side door. When she opened it she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Callie screamed as her arms went straight into the air, "We win!"

Lois high-fived her saying, "We are the champions." She turned to Clark. "In your face, Smallville."

Then she saw it. It was something she hadn't seen in the longest time: a smile on Clark Kent's face. A real, genuine, happy smile. Her heart warmed as she witnessed the interaction between the three of them.

"We are the champions my friend…" Lois began to sing as she put her arm around Callie's shoulders.

"And we'll keep on fighting till the end." They sang together. Their arms flailed out from their bodies as they continued to sing, " _WE_ are the champions…No time for _LOSERS_ …" they sang as they pointed at Clark who just kept on smiling and shaking his head at them. Both jumped on the couch and bellowed, "Cause we are the champions…of the _**world**_!"

Callie and Lois both looked at each other and laughed. In that moment the smile that was plastered on Chloe's face fell. Out of nowhere, oodles of information started flying rapidly through her head.

" _You know that was pretty good for someone who has only known Clark for, how long was it, 2.5 seconds?"_

" _What can I say, I can read people."_

"… _the way you talked to him, it reminded me of someone."_

" _Because I'm looking for Lois Lane."_

" _Well, I found out that she's from the future… and possibly Kyrptonian."_

When Clark had first said that a thought had passed through her mind, but she had quickly swatted it away as fast as it had come. Then the events of the previous morning came creeping back. When she had asked Callie about what to write about when it came to making up a past for herself she quickly replied, " _Well, I'll give you the rundown right now. I'm 18, just finished high school, and enrolled at Met U in the fall."_

" _And I'm assuming that you're a Kent?"_

And then there it was. The image of Callie's blue eyes widening at the comment and then recovering with a simple reply of " _Yup."_

" _Welcome to Smallville, Callie Kent."_

An image of Callie smiling back awkwardly entered her brain. Her eyes enlarged as the same thought that had been circling her mind only a few days before came to the forefront.

"No. _Freaking_. Way." She whispered.


	10. Chapter Nine: And the Ca[l] is Out of the Bag

**Chapter Nine:** _And the Ca[l] is Out of the Bag_

"No. _Freaking_. Way." Chloe whispered.

No, it couldn't be. It was preposterous.

' _Callie couldn't be…Clark and Lois' daughter? Could she?'_ Chloe thought.

She watched them once more as she walked further into the house. Now that she _really_ looked at Callie it was as if she were looking at her for the very first time. She saw Clark's eyes, Lois' personality, a mixture of the both of them in her face, and she already knew she had most of Clark's powers. It was as clear as day that this girl before her was the product of the both of them. But Lois and Clark? In the future? She knew that Lois had feelings for him and vice versa if Clark would let himself admit it, but for them to have a child together? That was something she was going to need to wrap her head around.

Moving closer to them, Callie finally turned around and spotted her. "Hey, Chloe."

Lois and Clark turned around and all three of them stood side by side with Callie in the middle.

"Chlo, what are you doing here?" Lois asked.

"I…uh…" Chloe couldn't even think as she stared at them. "I…uh… need to talk to Callie for a second."

That was far from the real reason she had come out there. She had tried to call Clark's cell phone, but he hadn't picked up. She had found disturbing new evidence of unexplained incidents all over Metropolis that could spell out trouble in terms of Zod or some other new villain on the scene.

Callie looked at her quizzically. "Okay."

"Let's go out here," Chloe said pointing outside.

Callie nodded and followed her out to the driveway. "Is everything okay, Chloe? You seem…"

"Freaked out." She finished for her.

Taking a deep breath she took Callie by the shoulders. "I'm going to ask you something and I need a straight answer."

"Okay…" she said hesitantly.

"Okay." Chloe breathed out trying to compose herself. "Are you…Lois and Clark's daughter?"

Callie's eyes widened. Her mouth moved, but nothing came out. Chloe knew she had just blurted this out and had caught her off guard, but she had to know. Looking at the ground she quietly heard Callie whisper, "Yes."

"Oh, my go—are you sure? What am I asking? Of course you're sure! They're your parents! I mean come on… the sarcastic apple doesn't fall far from the sarcastic tree."

"Chloe, just calm down."

"Calm? How can I be calm? How did this…this…this… happen?" She said waving her hand at Callie.

"Well, you see Chloe, when a man and woman love each other very much and they want to share that love in an intimate way…"

Chloe gave her a stern look. "You know that's not what I meant."

Callie smiled at her, obviously trying to lighten the mood. "Oh, come on. You have to admit it was a little funny."

"I mean Clark is so _different_ … I don't even think that he thinks that it's possible." She said, seemingly just talking to herself. "How did this happen?" She asked again.

"I don't know, _I didn't ask._ I still choose to believe that the stork dropped me on the doorstep…which is not what happened so don't think that someone just left me as a gift. My mom was pregnant with me. I've seen the pictures no matter how hard she tries to hide some of them."

"I can't believe it." Chloe said.

' _But it's true'_ she told herself. ' _Just look at her.'_

"Chloe, listen, you can't say anything. Me being here is bad enough. All I've ever known is that time travel is nothing to play with and if you change one thing you can change everything. They can't know who I am," she pleaded, "If they do…"

"They might be together for the wrong reasons." Chloe finished.

"Or worse things can happen. So, do you promise?"

Chloe looked at Callie's eyes. The look that she was giving was killing her. It was a mixture of relief and fear, but mostly fear.

Chloe nodded, "I promise. If anyone can keep a secret, you should know that I can."

Callie smiled, "Right. _But can you just pinky swear_?"

Chloe chuckled and extended her pinky. Callie wrapped her pinky around hers. Chloe stared at her once again.

"Wow. I just… _Wow_." She said as her hand dropped back to her side.

"Now that you know, I sort of need a favor."

"What kind of favor?" Chloe curiously asked.

"I need you to find a woman named Zatanna for me."

"Zatanna?" she gasped. "Why would you…"

"Since I don't have a Legion Ring she's the only other thing that I could think of in terms of getting me home. Is there any way that you could get in touch with her? I would ask Clark, but if I do that will just raise more suspicion."

Chloe thought for a second. The last time she had encountered Zatanna she had been transformed into Lois and had made Clark think he was a regular ole Joe. Even though by the end of it she had embraced her Watchtower calling she was still a little skeptical as to what could happen if Zatanna were involved in all of this.

"Are you sure? I mean the last time Zatanna was here things got a little out of hand."

"Believe me. My greatest desire is to get home, what could go wrong?"

She really wished that she hadn't said that. Looking at Callie's face she could see how desperate she was.

"I'll see what I can do and I'll try to get in touch with Oliver, and who knows where in the world he is. I can't guarantee anything, but I'll do my best."

"Thank you, Chloe." She said, pulling her into a hug.

"That's what family is for." She said as she embraced her. But, as she hugged Callie tight she missed the smile that fell from Callie's face when she said those words.

~\~

"Okay… they seem to be hugging now." Lois said, spying on the two girls through the kitchen window.

"Lois, I don't think you should be doing that."

"Lighten up, Smallville. It's not like I'm at the window with a glass to my ear."

She looked to Clark who just shook his head at her. Moving around the counter she tidied up some of the loose papers. As she put everything together a card fell on the floor. ' _To My Son on His Birthday…'_ it read. Obviously it was from Mrs. Kent.

Lois' mouth opened when she saw it. ' _I missed his birthday,'_ she thought.

She had missed so much being away that it killed her. Chloe had been a mess and Clark had been distant. That whole pocket of time held so much misery that she wished that she could make it go away. She wished that Jimmy was still alive and that Doomsday had never existed. She couldn't change what happened, but she wasn't going to let the people she cared about go down a lonely road. Clark missing his birthday was just the last straw.

"Clark!" She exclaimed holding the card in her hand and turning to him.

"What?" he asked, startled.

"I can't believe it. That whole time I was… _away_ … I missed your birthday." She said choosing her words carefully.

"Lois, it's not a big deal…"

"Not a big deal? Smallville, your birthday was in the middle of this whole mess. I bet that you didn't even acknowledge it, did you?"

He hesitated, "Lo—"

"No," she interrupted, "it's not acceptable Clark Kent. You're going to get a birthday whether you like it or not."

It may have sounded weird, her demanding that Clark have a birthday, but something inside her told her she had to do this. Instead of sulking around she wanted to do something happy. She knew she needed it and everyone else located at the Kent farm at that very moment needed it too.

As Callie and Chloe came back inside she exclaimed, "Okay I'm going to need you two over here."

"Huh?" Callie asked as Lois pulled her into the kitchen.

"Clark here never celebrated his birthday and since all his friends are in this room we should do something about that. Now, we're going to need some stuff," she said tapping her chin with her index finger, "Oh and I'll have to bake a cake…" she exclaimed.

"NO!" Callie, Chloe, and Clark all called out in unison.

"Oh, come on, they are not that bad," she said putting her hand on her hip, "and Callie, why are you so quick to protest."

Looking from Chloe to Clark then back at her Callie was about to speak when Chloe interjected, "Well, I'm sure Clark must have said something about your baking skills. Right, Clark?"

"Uh, right…" Clark said.

"Gee, thanks, Smallville." Lois glowered.

"You know", Callie said, "this whole birthday thing doesn't sound half bad. I mean we've had a good day so far. We should top it off with something nice. Pick up a _pizza_ and eat some _cake_ …"

" **Exactly.** See, even your cousin's in on it." She said, staring at Clark, "How about you?"

Clark looked to each of them before caving and saying, "Fine."

Lois clapped her hands together. "Great. I'll go order the pizza." Getting her cell phone she said, "Then Clark and I will go pick it up."

"We will?" Clark questioned.

"Fine, I'll go by myself then," she said cupping the phone. As soon as the pizzeria guy answered she went over into the corner to order. When she was finished she hung up the phone and grabbed her purse flashing a scowl in Clark's direction.

Clark let out a groan as he grabbed his keys off the table. "Let's go, I'll drive."

Lois smiled triumphantly. Following his lead she turned back to Chloe and Callie and called out, "We'll be back!"

~\~

Callie watched Lois and Clark leave. She found comfort in the way they were acting with each other. It's exactly how they've always acted. The banter, the looks, it's what made them Lois and Clark. It's what made them her parents. Turning to Chloe, she noticed that she looked like she was studying her."What?" She asked, a little irked.

"I'm sorry. I'm still adjusting."

"I understand. This is still pretty new for you to handle…"

"So, Callie… _Callie_ , that's a different name. Can I ask how you got it?" Chloe said sitting at the counter.

Callie nodded and smiled at the thought of her parents naming her. "I'm named after my father. A female version of the name of course."

"I don't exactly get Callie from Clark."

"Think another name…" Callie trailed, giving Chloe something to think about. "Give you a hint. My middle name begins with an 'L'. My mom's little joke to my dad."

"Callie L… Callie L…" Chloe mumbled to herself. Suddenly her eyes popped out of her head when she came to the realization of what Callie, telling her, "Kal-El."

"Bingo." Callie said, grabbing some cups and plates from the shelves.

Chloe shook her head and smiled. "I just can't believe it."

"I know, right? I still can't believe I'm here either." She said, her thoughts drifting back to her predicament.

She had only been there a few days, but at moments it seemed like she'd been there so much longer. She wanted to get home as quickly as possible, but there were also experiences she wanted to still savor while she was stuck in the past.

"It must be really hard to be away from your parents and yet _not_ at the same time." Chloe said, bringing Callie back to the conversation at hand.

Callie chuckled, "You have no idea. I have to think of their names just so I don't slip up and accidently call them ' _Mom_ ' or ' _Dad_ ', though I did sort of slip last night…"

"What happened?"

Taking a deep breath Callie explained, "Ever since I was little I've had nightmares. Eventually, they went away when I got older, but ever since I've been here they've come rushing back. All the things I was scared of as a child, I just can't seem to get them out of my head. Maybe it's because they still exist here…" Callie said, thinking of all the evil villains that invaded her dreams as a kid. Getting back to the conversation she added, "And to top it all off I had a nightmare last night about my time, the future, and when I shouted for my father I just so happened to grab Clark in the process."

"What did he say?"

"What _could_ he say?" Callie stressed, getting some things out of the fridge. "I explained what I was dreaming and I think that's all he took it for. I called for my dad and he just happened to be there."

"I just can't believe that they don't see it." Chloe said mesmerized by that fact.

"Yeah well, my parents can be oblivious to some _real_ obvious stuff. It's actually kind of annoying to experience first hand. I can't believe my dad is so blind here. The things I've said and gotten away with… he would never let that happen in the future. I mean I'm grateful for it at this point, but seriously, the guy needs a pair of glasses…" Callie then started to laugh at the realization of what she just said.

"What?" Chloe asked, evidently curious to why she was laughing.

"Sorry, future thing." She said grabbing plates from the cabinet and walking to the dining room table.

" _Right_." She said. Cocking her head to the side and taking a serious tone, "Callie, what exactly happened that got you here? I know you sugar-coated it before. If you can tell me what exactly happened, I might be able to help you if the whole Zatanna thing doesn't pan out."

Placing the plates she was handling on the table she walked back to Chloe.

"It started out like a normal day. My family was here at the farmhouse, we were…um… celebrating my birthday." She said quietly.

"Wow, transported on your birthday. That's rough."

"Yeah, happy birthday to me." She said mockingly. "Anyway, we were waiting for my…." Callie stopped not wanting to give away another piece of information. "We were waiting for someone else to arrive when my dad went outside to get me some surprise gift. I was in this very room with my mom and grandmother when we felt this rumbling shake the house. I knew something wasn't right. He had been gone way too long. I super-sped outside and that's where I saw a mysterious woman in black standing over him."

Taking a deep breath she continued reliving the moments again in her mind, "He looked like he was in so much pain. He didn't want me to fight her, but I ignored him and did it anyway. We were up in the air, there was a flash of green light or something and the next thing I knew she wasn't in my grasp anymore and I fell through the roof of the barn."

"Is there anything else you can tell me about her?"

"Not really. Though, in my dream I was fighting her again and she said, ' _Tempus neminem manet_.'"

"Time waits for no one." Chloe translated.

"Yeah, we both know it sure as hell isn't waiting for me." She said getting more of the supplies to bring out.

If she kept moving and focused on Clark's little party she wouldn't have to go over again all the things that had been swarming her head for days. She was constantly thinking about it, and while it was nice to vocalize it to someone other than Shelby she still didn't want to stop and think about it at that very moment.

Chloe frowned as she looked at Callie. "Callie-" She began.

"I know," Callie said, cutting her off. "We'll find me a way home. I just hope that I get home in time."

"Did you ever think that maybe you're here for a reason?"

"Like what?" She asked, confused.

"Like maybe you were meant to be here. I mean I saw you with Clark. He was… _smiling_. He was happy."

Callie smirked as she thought back to the activities of the day. "He was, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, and I think that has something to do with you."

"Maybe a little, but mostly that was all someone else's doing…" Callie grinned.

~\~

As Clark and Lois drove in the truck there was total silence. Clark couldn't believe that this could be happening because with Lois there was never silence, especially uncomfortable silences, she hated them. Glancing in her direction a couple times he could see that she was just staring out the window. When he reached a stop sign he turned to her and asked, "Lois, why are you really doing this?"

She looked at him then returned to the window. Letting out a sigh she said, "I was missing, Clark. _MISSING._ A chunk of time is gone from my life and it kills me that I don't know where I was, who I was with, or what I was doing. I just want to get back some normalcy. Besides, parties make people happy and even though she tries to hide it, Chloe is still very much in despair over what happened and I know you could use one, too. I think we all need some kind of fun even if it's for one night."

Clark nodded his head, "Okay."

He could understand where she was coming from. It was true. He had been having a good day today. He felt a little lighter and being with Lois and watching her made him feel at ease. He was still worried about her, but she seemed to be okay.

' _What if she decides she's well enough to leave?'_ he thought. ' _Wait, where did that come from?'_

Taking a quick glance at her he moved his eyes back to the road and glued them there. Once he made it into the center of town he parked the truck to the side of the road.

"You go get the pizza, I have to get something real quick." Lois ordered as she hopped out.

He didn't know why, but he obliged to her commands. If it made her happy he'd let her do it. Lois didn't remember anything about what happened when the Legion ring transported her. This whole last month had been lost to her. He wished that he, too, could forget the last month. He had been so immersed in saving people and looking for Lois on the side that some of his actions were things he wasn't proud of. But he concluded that he had done it for a reason, to be a hero, and he was sticking to that. The tough issue was he could visibly see that all the walls he had constructed were slowly being demolished by two hurricanes named Callie and Lois.

Getting the pizza he waited by the truck for Lois. A few moments later she came out of the drug store hiding something behind her back and had a big bag hanging off her other arm. His sudden curiosity tempted him to use his x-ray vision, but decided against it.

"Close your eyes." She said as she stood before him.

"Why?" he questioned.

"Just do it, Smallville."

Sighing, he closed his eyes and felt Lois' hand touch his left one. The sensation of her touch made his heart begin to race. He hadn't felt that way in a long time. He felt **alive**.

Feeling her hand enclose his fingers over the object she heard her say, "Okay, you can open them."

He opened his eyes and his hand at the same time and stared at the object.

"I would have gotten you a compass, but this seemed better for navigating your state of mind." She explained.

He looked up at her then back at the object, "What is it?" he asked examining it

"Are you kidding? It's a mood ring. You put it on like this…" She said as she took the ring from him and adjusted it so it was big enough to slide onto his finger. They both looked up at each other at the return of her hand on his. Pulling back she continued, "and you watch as the color changes and tells you your mood."

Clark stared down as the color in the circular shape began to change.

"Oh, before I forget, these are the meanings of the colors." She said, handing him a piece of paper. "Happy Birthday, Clark."

She smiled as he watched her climb into the truck. Looking down at the ring he watched as the color turned blue. Glancing at the list he looked up blue. He chuckled inside himself as he read it **. Lively**.

' _Who knew…this thing might actually work.'_ He thought as he took another gaze at Lois and then moved to the driver's seat.

The drive home was silent again except for the few instances where Lois criticized the speed he was driving at. Finally making it back she grabbed the bag she had been carrying and Clark grabbed the pizza. Walking into the house he saw blue and red streamers strewn throughout the room. Callie and Chloe jumped up from the couch and screamed, "Happy Birthday!"

Lois walked in and was as surprised as he was. "Wow, you guys did great. Where did you get all this stuff?"

"I found some decorations for the 4th of July in the barn." Callie said.

Clark knew that was a lie and it was confirmed when Callie gave him a knowing smile. Placing the pizza down on the counter everyone crowded over it and started taking pieces.

"Don't worry, Smallville, we'll leave enough for you." Lois said, patting his shoulder.

As she moved in front of him her dark hair brushed against him and he found himself closing his eyes and taking in the scent of it. He quickly opened his eyes after realizing what he was doing and backed away from her.

As they were all eating Clark couldn't help but let his guard down. He enjoyed the atmosphere around him, he really did. He and Chloe hadn't been close in what seemed like a while, but having her there it was like old times. They still had issues to work through, though. There was Callie, the girl who literally dropped into his life. There was something about her that he couldn't put his finger on, but he knew that he was going to find her a way home. Then, there was Lois. He watched as she laughed at something Chloe said to her. Her head bobbed up and down and her eyes had a certain sparkle in them. His stare lingered a little longer than he had intended and he was almost caught when Lois looked his way.

As soon as they were done, Lois pulled out a blue and red decorated cake. Getting looks from everyone she said, "Don't worry, you all know its store bought."

Placing it in front of Clark she put a few red candles in it and lit them. "Okay, Smallville. Blow out your candles and make a wish."

Clark took a moment and then blew out the candles, but he didn't need to make a wish. His mouth tugged into a smile as he looked from Callie, to Chloe, and then to Lois, her smile catching his eye again. Staring at Lois he knew he didn't have to make a wish because it had already come true. She was home.

~\~

"Well, Clark, tonight was certainly something." Chloe said as Clark walked her to the car.

"Yeah, you can say that again."

"Living with Callie and Lois under one roof. That's got to be interesting." Chloe said as she watched Lois and Callie laugh on the porch.

"Well, I haven't had a hot shower in two days, and the constant teasing is _pleasant_. In some strange way it's nice having them around. I mean I'm glad Lois is safe and then having Callie around, it kind of takes the loneliness out of the house." Clark said, watching Lois and Callie as well. "It makes me think that one day maybe…I don't know."

Chloe looked at Clark and wondered if he knew, but his facial expression showed that he didn't. She wished that she could tell him what she knew. She wanted to scream that Callie was his daughter. That he and Lois were her parents. She wanted to point out all the things about Callie that should be so obvious to the naked eye. That Callie was a combination of Clark and Lois' traits. Defeated, she knew she couldn't, so she let it go and decided to talk to him about what she had come for in the first place.

"Look, Clark, when I came here earlier today it wasn't exactly to hang out."

"I figured."

Sighing she said, "I've been diving into my Watchtower duties lately and I've been coming up with disturbing new evidence of unexplained incidents all over Metropolis that could spell out trouble in terms of Zod or some other miscreant on the scene. Last time Zod was here we received Dark Thursday. I know I don't want to see a Dark Friday."

Clark nodded as he listened to her.

"Clark, I don't want you to go all out like you have been. Just keep your eyes peeled and I will too."

She could see the distant look come over his face again. She knew this was going to be hard, but she had seen so much progress that she hoped it would last.

"Please Clark, just be careful." She pleaded. She wanted him to be safe. She always wanted him to be safe, but now there was more at stake. There was Callie.

~\~

After Chloe had left, Clark stayed outside. From the driveway, he looked out into the distance as the sun was setting. He had let himself forget for a little while the dangers that awaited him out there. He had appeased Lois' wishes and let her take away the pain he had just for a few moments, but he had a job to do.

"Clark, you coming in?" He heard Callie yell to him.

He didn't turn back. A few moments later he heard her footsteps come up behind him.

"Hey, what are you looking at?" She asked, standing beside him.

"I have to go." He said bluntly.

"Oh." She said, her voice dropping, the cheeriness from before dissipating. "So I guess you'll be home late?"

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, it's your job, right? Just don't do anything stupid." She said, leaving him alone again.

He closed his eyes. He could hear the hurt in her voice, but this was something he had to do. This was something he had gotten used to doing.

Speeding off to the city he stopped some crimes being committed but nothing seemed remotely related to Zod, only involving a few gangs that were famous around Metropolis. Hours later he found himself perched on top of the Daily Planet roof looking down on the city.

Staring down at his hands he realized that he had never taken off Lois' gift. He yearned for it to turn clear. Clear. Emotionless. He looked down again at it. It had been so easy before to shut out his life and turn cold. Now, he was finding it more difficult. He had told Callie that he had been trying to be more like himself, but this other force kept winning out. In that instant, that other part of him wasn't even putting up a fight.

~\~

"Why is it that with him it's like he takes one step forward and then three steps back." Callie said as she yet again stared out the window. She turned to the dog that was sitting next to her. "You don't know either, do you? Didn't think so."

Turning to the television she turned it on and flipped through the channels from the chair. She stopped on the news hoping to get some kind of indication of where he might be.

"Metropolis is still reeling from the effects from last month's attack." The woman newscaster said.

Showing a video from a cell phone she could make out Doomsday attacking the city. She didn't want to look but her eyes wouldn't listen to her brain and she continued to watch. Other pictures and videos were shown as the newscaster continued to speak over them. Callie's mouth went dry.

"No one knows exactly what happened to the creature, but the explosion at the geo-thermal plant is still under investigation."

"Don't even go there. Don't _even_ go there." She chanted to herself. Wiping her face with her hands she turned off the television and twisted back toward the window. The TV was supposed to have calmed her down and now all it did was make her more apprehensive. She pet Shelby and closed her eyes, telling herself she would just rest them for a moment, but fatigue prevailed over her.

 _Callie opened her eyes and saw that she once again was home. A sudden pang of fear hit her. Feeling the intensity of a threat looming she ran through her house. No one was home and she could feel danger coming._ _ **It**_ _was coming. As she ran down the hallway the whole house shook as if an earthquake had hit. As she made it to the living room something large crashed through the wall and whipped past her. Below the debris the only thing she could see was green._

" _Oliver." She said._

_She ran over to him and started tossing the debris off his body. He was badly hurt, but her super-hearing revealed he was still slightly breathing._

" _Ollie! Ollie!" She cried. "Please, come on!"_

_She lightly smacked his face a couple of times, hoping that the action would make him open his eyes and look at her._

" _Oliver! What's going on? Please! Don't leave me!"_

_She could see that his lips were trying to move. He was weak and she had to get him to a hospital, no matter what force had thrown him in here._

" _I have to get you out of here," she said, preparing to move him._

" _No," he managed, "Doomsday."_

_It was the last thing he said before she heard him take his last breath._

" _No!" She sobbed. "No! NO! No, no, no, no, NO!"_

_The tears poured out of her eyes as she looked at Oliver's limp form. Then she felt it. Doomsday was almost there. She quickly got up and ran down the hallway again. She opened the door to her room, but as she stepped inside and slammed the door it suddenly wasn't her room, but a rooftop in Gotham._

_Callie looked around and again was greeted by silence and darkness. A dark figure then landed, startling her._

" _Callie, we need to go now."_

" _Batman?" She asked. Realizing it was him she started to hyperventilate as she remembered what had just happened. "It's Green Arrow, he's…he's dead. And…Doomsday! We need to warn my father."_

" _He knows."_

" _Where is he? And where is my mom?"_

" _I can't tell you, I'm sorry, but I promised him that I'd get you to safety."_

_As Batman reached for her, she swatted his arm away. "No way, Bruce. You tell me where my parents are. You do remember what having parents is like right?"_

_She knew it was a low blow. Deep down she didn't mean it, but she needed to know._

" _You're father is…" Before he could finish he fell to the ground face first with a metal pole shoved in through his back._

_Callie gasped and cupped her hands over her mouth. The tears started again as another member of the Justice League was killed in front of her. As she slowly looked up she saw red eyes staring at her. Waves of fear came over her body. Everything was telling her this was it. She breathed shallow breaths, wondering which one was going to be her last. She saw Doomsday move toward her then something impaired her vision. It was someone in a red cape._

_Fending off Doomsday he turned his head toward her and asked, "Are you okay?"_

_She nodded joyfully through her tears. Her father had come._

" _You have to get out of here."He managed to say as he hit Doomsday off the roof._

_She grabbed a hold of him, "No! I can't leave you. He killed Ollie and Bruce. He can kill you too. I can't…no I won't leave you."_

_Doomsday then jumped up the side of the building and struck, breaking her from her grip of her father. She watched as he flew through the brick wall of the building, his blood staining her clothes and the floor._

" _NOOO!" She screamed._

_Doomsday then completely ignored her and went in after him. She tried to use her power of flight or her super speed, but nothing was working. She tried to see what was going on but the dust of the debris was too much. She tried to swat it away, but it did no good._

_As she went back to the door she had come through she tried desperately to open it, but it was no use. She placed her back against the opposite wall and slid down until she was huddled into a ball. She sobbed as she prayed for her father to come out of the hole Doomsday had created with his body._

_Soon she heard footsteps coming and slowly lifted her head. She was greeted with the sight of Doomsday carrying the lifeless body of her father. She couldn't breathe._

_Doomsday came closer to her. He tossed the body to the ground like he was tossing a bag of dirt. Callie was numb. She couldn't make a sound. She was screaming on the inside, but nothing audible came from her mouth._

" _First Arrow, then the Bat, then your father…now you."It said._

_Callie used her arms to shield her face waiting for Doomsday to kill her. She closed her eyes tight and took a deep breath. Suddenly, she felt someone pushing the hair out of her face. She felt warmth and love in the touch. She felt safe with the familiar contact. Letting the touch calm her down she realized exactly who it was. Then she opened her eyes._

"Mom?" She breathed out as her eyes snapped open.

As her eyes adjusted she saw it was Lois.

"No, it's just me. You looked like you were having a bad dream again."

"Yeah, I was. You have perfect timing." She breathed wiping the sweat that beaded at her brow.

"Clark still not back?" She asked, sitting on the edge of the chair staring out the window with her.

"Not yet." Lois gave a sympathetic look to her. "You know what. I was thinking of totally ditching work tomorrow to desperately get away from that guy across from me, but I think I have a better idea." She said playfully bumping her shoulder into Callie's.

"What's that?" Callie asked, looking up at her.

"How about you come with me?"

"What is it ' _bring your friend's cousin to work'_ day?" She smirked.

"No." She smiled. "I just think maybe you need to get out of the farmhouse."

"I don't know… I have… _responsibilities_ …"

"Oh, do not play the 'Clark Card' and say you have to milk the cows. You're going to come with me. I'll show you the Daily Planet. Come on, it'll be a good experience and will sound really good when you tell your professors." She said.

"And of course when I drop the name Lois Lane they'll have to give me an 'A'" Callie joked.

"So, what do you say?"

"Okay. But I don't have anything nice to wear."

"As long as you don't come in flannel, you should be fine. I'll even let you borrow something." She said smiling. "And don't worry about Smallville out there, even though he's acting very selfish for being out all night…"

"He's an owl." Callie said dryly.

"Oh, Clark Kent is an owl now?"

"Clark Kent is many things."

"Tell me about it." Lois said.

Callie looked up at Lois and glanced at their current position. They were sitting at the window waiting for him to come home. Lois had no idea that in the future she would experience nights just like this.

~\~

Clark quietly opened the front door and closed it, making sure he didn't wake anyone.

"You have some nerve." An unexpected voice said.

Adjusting his eyes to the darkness of the house he saw Lois sitting on the stairs, a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Lois?"

"No, it's the Easter Bunny."

He glared at her.

"Don't give me that look. I don't deserve that look. You on the other hand, deserve that look plus some obscene gestures."

"What's your problem?"

She scoffed, "My problem? What's your problem? I saw you this afternoon, Clark. You were having fun, you were yourself. Then when darkness falls you turn into…I don't know what you turn into."

"I had some things I needed to do." He said, hanging up his short black coat. It wasn't his trenchcoat, he still hadn't retrieved that. Instead, he still wore his black clothes on patrol, but without his insignia drawn on his chest or the trenchcoat. He thought he had been ready, but he still wasn't comfortable wearing it. He hadn't earned it yet. Luckily for him, when he returned home it raised less suspicion. Wearing the symbol on his chest would create more questions for Lois to ask than the plain clothes he was caught in.

"In the middle of the night?"

"Why are we having this conversation? Are you my keeper or something?" He asked, leaning his hand on the banister.

"No, but when I walk down stairs to a girl who is whimpering in her sleep only to have her wake up and tell me she was waiting for you it means something."

"She had another nightmare." He said, concern washing over his face.

"Yes, and you're right, it was pretty bad."

Clark glanced at Callie who was asleep on the couch.

"She's fine now. I used the Lane charm. By the way, she's coming with me tomorrow." She said sipping her coffee.

His head whipped back toward Lois. "With you?"

"Yeah, she's coming to the Daily Planet with me."

"What is it ' _bring your friend's cousin to work'_ day?" He said sarcastically as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Weird." She whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, "Actually, I think she needs to get out of this house. Besides, with you running _errands_ at sporadic times she doesn't need another day being alone in the house."

"Lois…"

"Don't even try to argue with me. I'm taking her so accept it."

"Can you guys quit arguing? Someone is trying to sleep over here." Callie called from the couch.

"So much for the Lane charm." Clark smirked.

"You know I busted my butt to give you a nice belated birthday. Maybe I should take my gift back…"Clark gripped the ring that was still on his hand protectively. "…Or maybe I could be nice and let you keep it, though I don't know how much it's working."

She stood up on the bottom stair so she was taller than him and pressed her index finger into his chest.

"You better shape up, bucko. You're always talking about responsibility. Well, start taking some because you have a cousin at home who you're responsible for now. She may be tough on the outside, but inside she's vulnerable. Take it from me. She needs you. So balance whatever you have to and be here." She removed her finger. "Think about that."

Taking another sip of her coffee she turned and went back up the stairs. Clark moved over to the couch where he knew Callie was still awake.

"She really laced into you that time." She mumbled.

"It happened again?"

Callie sat up. "I'm fine. Teaches me to watch the news before sleeping."

"I'm so—"

"If you say 'I'm sorry' one more time I'm going to find that Nerf gun and pelt all the balls into your head."

Clark chuckled at the comment even though he knew she was serious.

"You better get some sleep; sounds like you have a big day in the morning."

As he turned to leave he heard her say in a little voice, "Clark."

He turned back. "Yeah?"

He watched as leaned back into the couch. She was about to say something when her mouth closed. She then smiled and said, "Nothing, never mind." Clutched the red blanket close to her and said, "Good night."

"Night." He said.

Now was when he started to kick himself. Lois was right; Callie was a part of his responsibilities. He should have been there to help her. Luckily, Lois had managed, but he remembered what Callie looked like the night before, all shaken and terrified. Taking one last glimpse at Callie from the stairs and cupping the ring on his left hand, he promised himself that tomorrow would be different.


	11. Chapter Ten: Here We Go Again

**Chapter Ten** : _Here We Go Again_

As soon as she heard Clark's footsteps disappear Callie opened her eyes and sat up on the couch, tugging at the chain around her neck. There was no way she was going to get to sleep.

"Stupid Doomsday." She whispered to herself.

Throwing the blanket off of her she rubbed her forehead, as if trying to rub away the scenes etched in her brain. It had been a long time since Doomsday had entered her dreams and the creature was still a very unwelcome guest. Seeing the footage of him on the television brought back all the old memories, all the terrified nights, and all the tears that were shed. She could still hear the crying, the faces of everyone she loved that day and the weeks after that, and the brave front they put on just for her. Shaking her head she got up and poured herself a glass of water.

"I'm going to need therapy again." She said before she chugged down the glass.

Glancing at the clock is was 3:30 in the morning. In a few hours she had to put a smile on her face and walk into the Daily Planet. She would have to " _oooohh_ " and " _ahhhh_ " at the all the things she already knew and make it seem like she had never been there a day in her life. She could do it, for sure, but the sheer fact that she would be going there with Lois Lane, the woman who was her mother, scared the crap out of her. What if she messed up and let something slip?

' _Like you did a few hours before?'_ she thought in regards to uttering the word 'mom' after her dream.

Letting out a sad sigh her eyes traveled up the stairs.

' _How long will I be able to pull this off before they both realize who I really am?'_

Defeated she moved back over to the couch and closed her eyes, hoping maybe somehow she could get _some_ sleep. As soon as she closed them though, she saw two large, red beady eyes staring back at her. Her eyes shot open at lightning speed and she immediately ran up the stairs. Once she made it to Clark's door she stopped.

"What are you doing?" She asked herself. "You're not a kid anymore."

Before she knew it a tear escaped her eye. She quickly wiped it away and willed the water in her eyes to evaporate.

"Just check on him. As long as you know he's there you'll be fine."

Quietly she turned the knob and peeked into his room. She watched him sleep for a few seconds before closing the gap she just made.

"He's fine. You're fine." She chanted to herself.

She stopped by Lois' door and did the same. Satisfied that both were okay she walked back down the stairs to the couch. She plopped herself back on it and just sat herself up against her blue pillow.

Crossing her arms across her chest she pouted as she said in a childish tone, "I need my bunny."

~\~

The sudden sound of the rooster crowing caused Lois to jump up in bed.

"Oh that bird is going to get it." She mumbled in anger.

Climbing out from underneath the covers, she pushed the curtain out of her way and peered out the window looking for the obnoxious bird. Not able to find it, Lois groaned as she realized it was morning already. On one hand she liked being on the Kent farm, but on the other hand it was a pain to get up so early to commute to Metropolis every morning.

Opening the closet she picked out her outfit and put some things aside for Callie. She was actually looking forward to bringing her with her to the Daily Planet. Watching her have that dream reminded her of when Lucy was young. Her motherly instincts, she guessed she had some, kicked into high gear and all she wanted to do was comfort Callie.

' _Must have worked, too. Kid called me 'Mom'.'_ She thought.

As Lois gathered her clothes her eyes traveled to the box of newspaper clippings she had knocked over the other day. She had wanted to say something about it to Clark. She wanted to ask him why he had it, but she chickened out. She wasn't going to hope that he had been looking for her. She wasn't going to let herself feel that way about him. Removing her eyes from the box she focused on her work instead.

Picking up her bag she pulled out a stack of papers and flipped through them. She didn't have to intently look at them, though. She knew exactly what they said, ' _A mysterious blur zipping in and out of crime after crime, but no red and blue in sight'_. She meant to work some more on it when she had left work early, but when she stumbled on Clark's card and realized he had neglected to acknowledge his birthday she placed her work at the bottom of her to do list. It didn't matter anyway; she had hit a brick wall when it came to her search for the Red-Blue Blur.

"Maybe he really is gone." She said as she placed the papers back in her bag. Determined, she added, "But whatever happened, I'm going to get to the bottom of it."

Walking out of the room the scent of coffee caught her. She needed coffee badly. She hadn't been able to sleep well the past couple nights. Her dreams were all blurry and the voices in them were muffled. It annoyed her because it felt like her mind was trying to tell her something, but it was coming out all jumbled. She had woken up during the night and, in an attempt to try a remedy to fall asleep she had learned a long time ago, she stumbled upon Callie having a nightmare. She stayed with her for a little bit just looking out the window, but eventually convinced her to get back to sleep.

' _That's certainly the last time I'll ever wait for Clark Kent to come home.'_ She thought.

Clark did come home, finally, and she reamed him out, which felt good. She was able to sleep after that, but the stupid bird woke her up.

The scent of coffee yet again tugged at her nose and broke her out of her thoughts. She needed the caffeine like air to breathe.

Heading past Clark's room she couldn't help but peek in. A slight smile crossed her lips as she saw him still sleeping.

' _What a rare occurrence—me up before Smallville. Must be a sign of the apocalypse.'_

Walking down the stairs she saw Callie at the counter drinking some of the coffee she was craving.

"Hey." Lois called out.

Callie turned to her and smiled. "Hey."

Yawning Lois grabbed a mug and picked up the coffee pot. "You okay after last night?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Good."

She watched as Callie cupped the mug close to her and stared into space. She looked as if she were thinking intently about something. It was a bit concerning.

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?" She asked.

Callie blinked a few times and turned to Lois. "Yeah," she nodded.

Lois knew she wasn't. The kid was putting on a brave face but something was bothering her.

' _I need to get her out of this house.'_ She thought once again.

"I have some clothes for you upstairs." She said, hoping to cheer her up somehow.

"Thanks." Callie said, taking another sip from her mug.

Lois could clearly see some type of sadness on Callie's face, but she obviously didn't want to talk about it and she wasn't going to push her.

"I'm just going to take a shower, so check out what I left you." Callie nodded at her. As Lois went for the stairs she turned around once more and added, "And Callie, we're going to have fun today. I promise."

Callie gave her an unconvincing smile and she turned to go back up the stairs desperately hoping that those words were true.

~\~

Clark felt the weight of the bed shift from underneath him as sleep started to fade away.

"Smallville." A voice whispered.

Opening his eyes slowly he could make out the silhouette of a person, but he couldn't see their face. Feeling like he was dreaming he turned his head back into his pillow. He was exhausted. That rarely happened to him, but night after night of crime fighting had caught up with him, plus, going a round with Lois when he got home wiped out the rest of his energy.

"Smallville…" the voice said again.

"Lois?" He asked into his pillow.

"Wake up." She said rocking him. "Wow, this bed is really comfy…" he heard her mumble to herself.

Lifting his head up, he watched as she pressed her hand into the mattress feeling it.

"Seriously, Clark, if you don't get up I might just fall asleep right here because that damn rooster interrupted my beauty sleep and the caffeine I put into my system hasn't kicked in yet."

Groaning, he turned to her and asked, "What do you want, Lois?"

Leaning on her side she balanced the side of her head on her hand as she placed her elbow inches from his face. She said something to him, but he couldn't quite understand her. The beating of his heart echoed in his ears at a rapid pace. Lois was in his bed. _His_ bed. Strange thing was he didn't hate it.

He watched as her eyes narrowed at him. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Huh?"

"Ugh!" She exclaimed as she got up. "You're unbelievable."

Clark rolled off his side of the bed and stood up. He ran his fingers through his hair and glanced at the clock. He'd slept in. He shut his eyes and berated at himself. He never slept in. Opening his eyes back he turned to Lois.

She, of course, fiercely looked at him. She was also silent, which was never good. Shaking her head at him he watched as she began to stalk off, maneuvering her way around the bed, but as she went for the door, her foot got caught on the comforter hanging off his bed. As she tripped forward Clark swiftly moved toward her and caught her.

Clark held his breath as his arms were wrapped around her waist and their eyes met.

"Nice save, Gretzky." She said, gripping his upper arm.

As Clark gazed at her features he noticed how beautiful she looked in the morning. He had lived with her and seen her time and time again, but, in that moment when he really looked at her, he somehow missed how beautiful she looked.

Clark wanted to say something, but the second his mouth opened a knock then came upon the door.

"Hey, Clark, are you awake-oh _whoops_ …" a voice said.

Clark shot his head around to see Callie in the doorway. Clark dropped his hands from Lois' waist and took a step back from her.

"Callie." He said, embarrassed as he felt heat against his cheeks.

"Uh, wow. I didn't know about…huh…okay…I'll just be downstairs." She awkwardly said, pointing behind her and leaving.

"See, if you would have been listening to me before that wouldn't have just happened." Lois said, slapping his chest.

"It's _my fault_ that you tripped and she got the wrong idea?"

"Well, if you had been listening to me then you would have known that she seemed a little distant and probably needed to talk to you."

Clark let out a beaten sigh. Out of all the battles he faced over the years it always seemed liked the ones with Lois were always the ones he lost.

"Now, I have to go and get ready for work, so talk to your cousin. This is supposed to be a _nice_ day for her."

Watching Lois leave the room he walked down the stairs where a smirking Callie stood.

"Sorry about the interruption. You don't have to keep it secret on my account."

"There's nothing going on between me and Lois."

"Right, I mean the puppy dog eyes you were giving her is the definition of nothing."

"They were not puppy dog eyes." He argued.

"I'm sorry, do you want me to strike that and substitute in ' _loving stare'_ instead?"

Clark glared at her then said, "Lois said you might want to talk about something."

"Uh, you know what, I was in a crappy mood, but seeing you two—it was the sunshine that broke through the dark clouds. So, thank you."

"You sure you don't want to talk about it? I mean you did have another nightmare last night."

"It was nothing. It happened then it was over. It wasn't real." She said, affirmatively.

"Are you going to be okay going with Lois today?"

"Yeah, I think she was right. I probably need to get out of this house. Though, I am kind of sad."

"Why?" He asked, perplexed.

"Well, you don't work at the Daily Planet anymore. It would have been nice to see the two of you in action together."

"Yeah, well I'm sure that it will be just as exciting without me there."

"Maybe. I should go get changed."

He nodded as she left. Was she disappointed that he wasn't going to be with her? He and Callie _had_ bonded and she would have to be careful about herself being out in public and with Lois. Tess might even be snooping around. Maybe she would feel more comfortable if he were there. As he glanced outside a smile appeared on his lips as an idea formed.

~\~

Callie looked at the clothes Lois had set away for her. She changed into them, but felt clumsy doing so. As she walked to the mirror she was startled at what she saw.

"Whoa."

She had played dress up with her mother's clothes so many times but to wear them now, as a young adult, she felt like her reflection wasn't her, it was her mom. She smiled at the strange thought and made her way downstairs. Lois was _still_ in the bathroom, the sound of the hair dryer roaring, but by looking at the clock she would have to be done in a few minutes to get to work on time.

"Looks good." She heard a voice say.

She looked up to see Clark in the doorway coming back in from outside.

"Thanks." She said flattening out the blouse and skirt with her hands. "Not sure how I feel about the skirt, though."

Callie moved her legs in the pencil skirt.

' _Not much leg room. Enough to walk but not enough to really do much else. Why couldn't it be Casual-Friday or something?'_

"Good luck. And -"

"Keep Lois out of trouble. I know." She said, finishing his sentence.

"How did you know I was going to say that?"

' _Because you always say that when I'm with mom…'_

"Because I can read minds." She teased.

Clark looked at her like she was serious. Callie smiled at his expression.

"I _was_ just kidding. It was just a lucky guess. I know how Lois has a knack for getting into trouble when she's onto a story."

"Okay, Callie let's go!" She heard Lois call as she practically ran down the stairs.

"You stay out of trouble, too." She whispered as she left past him.

She followed Lois as she grabbed all her bags and guided her outside to the car. As they both got in and closed the doors, Lois put the key in the ignition but the car wouldn't start.

"Oh, no you don't. " Lois said as she kept trying to turn the engine over. She placed her head on top of the steering wheel then lifted it back up. Opening the door she turned to Callie and said, "I'll be right back."

~\~

"I need you, Clark." Lois said in a low voice that sent shivers up Clark's spine. His eyes enlarged at the sentence and he turned around to look at her.

"My car won't start." She added with an aggravated looked on her face.

Clark let out the breath he didn't even know he had been holding.

"I need your keys." She said opening her hand out to him.

Clark smirked as he slapped it playing as if he thought she wanted a low five.

"Very funny. Now come on, we'll be late."

"I'll drive you." Clark offered.

"Really? You're going to drive?"

"I have to see Chloe anyway."

"Fine." She said as she turned and walked to the truck. Clark followed in tow and opened the door for her.

"You're coming with us?" Callie asked.

"Looks like."

Callie looked at him funny. "Hmm." She said as she climbed into the backseat.

Getting into the driver's seat he started the car and drove out onto the deserted road past all the crops.

"Can we get some tunes on please?" Lois said.

Obliging her request he turned the radio on. A song came on that had a good beat to it, but quickly both Lois and Callie exclaimed, "Belch!" "Eww, no!" in protest of it.

" _Okay_ …" He whispered as he changed the channel, keeping his eyes on the road. "What about this?"

"Horrible!"

"Turn it!"

Getting a little annoyed he again turned the station. Excited, Lois and Callie exclaimed, "Yeah!" "Yeah, yeah, yeah!"

Listening to the song he automatically realized what he had just stumbled into.

"...cause I know what it means to walk along the lonely street of dreams…" Lois sang and clapped to the beat.

Callie and Lois began rocking their heads to the music using all parts of the car as percussion instruments, as they both sang, "Here I go again on my own, goin' down the only road I've ever known. Like a drifter I was born to walk alone. And I've made up my mind I ain't wasting no more time… _here I go again."_

Clark looked to Lois and then in his mirror to Callie in the back seat. He had endured Whitesnake before. He recalled the night of Chloe and Jimmy's engagement party when he brought Lois back to the farm and she serenaded him with every Whitesnake song possible. He had to admit that he did find her little rock concert in the kitchen mildly entertaining that night. The scene that he was looking upon, though, topped that by a long shot. They were smiling and having fun. He couldn't think of any other place he'd rather be in that moment.

Another Whitesnake song and a couple hours later the trio arrived at the Daily Planet. Walking down the stairs and avoiding the traffic of people Lois pushed through all of them as Clark and Callie stayed next to each other.

At the first landing Callie turned to Clark and said, "Nice strategy this morning, by the way."

"What do you mean?"

"Tampering with Lois' car so it wouldn't start. _Smooth_."

' _How did she know?'_ he asked himself.

Callie was becoming more and more mysterious as the days went on. There were all these things that she knew about him and she seemed to always be a step ahead. Granted she was from the future but he knew there was something more to it than that.

Getting back to the conversation he said with a half smile, "I don't know what you're talking about."

" _Sure."_

Turning to the hectic bullpen, both watched as Lois made it to her desk only to be met by none other than the man who had taken over his desk, John Corben. Just like Lois complained there he was staring at her.

"Wow Clark, he really did take your job. Though, I guess you supplement at home like you did this morning." She teased.

Clark glared and she just smiled triumphantly. Turning back they both watched Corben's actions carefully.

"I don't like this guy." They said at exactly the same time.

When they realized they did this they both whipped their heads to each other where their eyes met. Callie was the first to break eye contact and stare back into the bullpen.

"Well, thanks for the ride." She said quickly as she powerwalked to Lois' desk.

"Yeah, no problem." He said still bewildered by the enigma that was Callie.

~\~

Walking to Lois' desk Callie was suddenly hit with a sharp pain in her head. Closing her eyes she placed the tips of her fingers into her forehead trying to dull the pain. Then suddenly, the pain disappeared. She knew that feeling. That was a kryptonite feeling.

Looking around she couldn't figure out where it could have come from and why it had left so fast.

"Callie." Lois said, calling her over.

Callie slightly shook her head and made it over to the desk. She could see that her desk was in disarray, which was normal. She wanted to focus on Lois but her eyes darted to each corner of the room. She looked around Lois' desk and to the now unoccupied desk across from her. She looked back to where she had just been standing to see if Clark was still around but he had already left.

"Earth to Callie." She heard Lois' voice say.

"Huh? Oh sorry. This place…it's sooo… _busy_." She said weakly.

"I know it's a lot to take in at first, but you get used to it. Everyone just gets into their own rhythm."

"Right." Callie said plastering a smile on her face. "So, anything in particular you working on?" She asked, leaning onto the desk.

"Actually," Lois said, lowering her voice, "I'm working on somewhat of a big assignment."

Briefly taking her mind away from the kryptonite, an intrigued Callie moved in closer, "Like what kind of big assignment?"

"Beings that you are going to be living in Metropolis soon for school you should be educated on this city's pros and cons. The biggest con being the crime."

"And the biggest pro?"

Lois pulled out a photo and handed it to Callie.

"Him."

Callie looked down at the photo of a red and blue blur.

"I'm not sure what Clark has told you about Metropolis's own resident hero, if he's told you anything, but I'm working on finding more about him."

"What do you have so far?"

Lois sighed. "Not much. He sort of vanished after the big debacle with the BeastMaster a month ago. The only thing I can come up with are stories of a mysterious black blur that's been saving people in the city. I want to believe it's him, but I don't, this other blur seems different."

"Maybe you need to call him out on it."

"What do you mean?"

"Hypothetically, let's say that this other blur is the same guy. Maybe the whole thing with this _Doomsday_ character messed him up. It messed a lot of people up and just because he's a hero doesn't mean he doesn't think or feel like we do."

"Maybe he just needs a little reminder." Lois said turning to her keyboard.

"Absolutely."

"I must say you have quite the knack for this. Keep it up and you might just have a job here someday."

"Hopefully." Callie grinned, turning to look at the giant Daily Planet sign hanging on the wall.

000

After doing some errands around the Planet for Lois, Callie was starting to enjoy herself. She placed the fluke of the morning headache behind her and instead focused on where she was. The Daily Planet was her home away from home in the future and for a millisecond she almost thought she was back in her time. She especially enjoyed the juicy details she heard around the building. The one that most intrigued her was the rumor that her parents were an item already. Judging by what she walked in on this morning, as innocent as that was, she couldn't figure out why they just hadn't gotten together yet.

Walking back over in the direction of Lois' desk Callie started to feel a familiar sickness creep up in her body again. A raging headache attacked her head and caused her to gasp out in pain.

' _What the hell?'_

Letting out shallow breaths she backed up from the desks in the basement and stepped up the stairs to the first landing. The pain disappeared almost instantly. Callie looked all around her trying to pinpoint where the kryptonite could be. She couldn't understand it. She had just been by Lois' desk twenty minutes before and she had been fine. She returns and is overwhelmed by pain. Using her x-ray vision she scoured the basement looking for the little green demon rock, but came up with nothing.

"Callie!" Lois said, running up to her.

"Yeah?" She asked, shaking the last remnants of pain away.

"I called Chloe so she's going to meet us for lunch, but I want to get out of here quickly before John comes back."

"John?"

"Yeah, that guy that took Clark's desk."

"Right."

"He keeps leaving and coming back and leaving and coming back, so I want to leave before he comes back. So quick get your stuff, go, go, go, go." She said shooing her in the direction of the bullpen.

Callie tensed as she got closer and waited for the pain to hit her like a ton of bricks, only it didn't. Callie looked around dumbfounded. She walked closer to Lois' desk and still there was nothing. Picking up the bag Lois had lent her she walked back to the stairs.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Okay. Come on."

Callie followed Lois up and down the streets of Metropolis until they stopped at a little café where Chloe was sitting outside waiting for them. She smiled and waved as she saw them approach.

"Hey, guys!"

"Hey, Chlo."

"So, how is Callie's first day at the Daily Planet?" Chloe asked.

"Great. She even helped me get out of my writer's block and start my new editorial." Lois said.

"Editorial? What about?"

"I'll let you peek later." Lois whispered.

"Oooh." Chloe said and smiled.

As they sat down Callie was still uneasy about what had occurred. If she were having lunch with Chloe and Lois the day before she would have been more at ease and actually in tune to what they were saying, but since once again being hit with krypto-pain and finding that it wasn't a fluke was bothering her immensely.

"Hey, you okay?" Chloe whispered as she took a seat next to her.

"Not really." Callie whispered back.

Chloe flashed a concerned look. Before Chloe could say anything else a waitress came to the table to take everyone's order.

"I'll have the Caesar salad." Chloe said looking at her menu.

"I'll have the same." Lois said.

The waitress looked to Callie.

"You know what, I'm not that hungry right now." Callie said, pushing the menu to the front of the table.

"Are you sure that you're feeling okay?" Lois asked.

"Yeah." Callie nodded.

Lois stared at her a bit and then turned to the waitress. "Bring her some chicken noodle soup."

"Lois, really I'm fine." Callie protested.

The waitress looked from Callie to Lois not really sure what to do. Lois looked to her and said, "Bring it," as she gave her back the menus.

The waitress nodded then left.

"You'll thank me later." Lois said.

' _She always does that.'_ Callie thought.

Even though she loved the moment that just occurred nothing seemed to be able to break her out of her funk. Rubbing her forehead she stared at the table and tried to come up with reasons as to why it was happening.

"Headache?" Chloe asked.

"I had one before. Kind of like those migraines Clark gets sometimes…" Callie said, trying not to be too obvious.

She needed help and Chloe was the only one there who could submit some ideas into the mix. However, Chloe looked at her confused, not understanding what she was secretly trying to say.

"The migraines Clark gets?" Chloe asked.

"I didn't know Clark got migraines." Lois said.

"Yeah, you know he sometimes reacts to… _MSG_ when it's around. It gets _painful_ for him."

She watched as Chloe mouthed MSG to herself trying to decipher the apparent code.

She really needed to talk to Chloe, but there was no way to do it with Lois being there. Like her prayer had been answered, Lois got up from the table and said, "I'll be right back."

Chloe then quickly turned to Callie, "MSG? I know we're not talking about food products here."

"Sorry, I just couldn't come out and say it with Lois here and all."

"And it stands for…."

"Oh, I was going for _meteorites shaded green_."

"Meteorites shaded green? You mean kryptonite?"

Callie nodded.

"You encountered kryptonite at the Daily Planet?"

"Yes, but the problem is that it wasn't in one place that I could find it. It was _moving_. I would be in one place and get a massive splitting headache and then in the next instant it was gone and then it would happen someplace else."

"So, it must be on someone there." Chloe concluded.

"I just don't know who has it and if it's meant for _someone else_."

"You mean Clark?"

"But if it were they would have to know that he doesn't work there anymore, right?"

"Possibly."

"Do you think we should call him?" Callie asked.

"Might be hard. I gave him a lead on the whole Zod front. I just hope he's in the calling area." She said scrolling down to find his number in her phone. As she placed it her ear Callie could tell that it went directly to voicemail.

"Clark, it's Chloe. Call me as soon as you get this."

"Great." Callie said, rolling her eyes.

"I think maybe you should call it a day at the Planet."

"What? No way. I need to figure this out. It could be nothing, right? Who knows, I could be jumping to conclusions. I mean maybe someone just happens to be wearing jewelry that has it in it. I remember my dad telling me a story about some guy he came up against who had a kryptonite watch on." Callie said, taking a sip of her water.

"I still think you should be careful. Kryptonite is dangerous, you should know that."

"I'm fully aware of what kryptonite does." Callie said, a little annoyed.

Hearing the annoyance in her voice, Chloe seemed to back down a little.

"MSG, huh? That's a clever acronym."

"Came off the top of this brain." Callie said pointing to her head, a small smile forming.

"Wish I would have thought of it myself." Chloe said, a little jealous. "I might steal it from you if I'm ever in a jam."

"You have my permission."

"Hey, so what are we talking about?" Lois said as she sat back down.

"Nothing important." Callie said, glancing at Chloe harboring their private conversation.

~\~

After lunch the girls walked up some of the streets of Metropolis. Chloe watched in delight as Callie would stop in front of some of the windows and point out all the clothes and shoes she desired to have.

' _She certainly has Lois' taste'_ she thought.

"Hey, Chlo, look at this." Lois said pointing to a street sign.

Chloe looked up as she saw they had stumbled upon **Sullivan Lane**.

"How cool is that we have a street named after us." Lois smiled.

"Very." She said as she locked arms with her cousin.

"And look at this." She exclaimed as they came to a construction site.

"Luxury apartments, nice." Chloe commented.

Chloe looked back to see where Callie was. She spotted her just staring at the site and silent. Callie looked from the bottom of the site and then straight into the air where nothing yet was erected.

' _She knows this place.'_ Chloe thought.

"From the pictures here it looks like this will be _pretty_ nice place to live. Wrap around balconies, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. We should save our pennies Chlo, maybe we could both move in."

"Sorry, Lo, I'm happy where I am."

She was at the Watchtower. Jimmy had bought it for her and it was perfect. At times it was hard, but she took every day one day at a time. She wasn't going to let Jimmy die in vain. Her role as Watchtower was a vital part in the Justice League machine.

' _That is if we can get the machine working again.'_

Nevertheless, she was helping people and Clark was talking to her again. He was slowly, but surely, coming back to humanity and she was grateful for that. For weeks she had been alone with her thoughts, her sadness, and her guilt. Now, Lois was home, Clark was getting better, and she had a new mission in getting Callie home to the future.

"How about you Callie, you want to move in with me and be my roommate? It's close to school…" Lois joked.

Chloe saw as Callie tensed a bit at the comment and then smiled. "Sure, just tell me where to sign."

Suddenly the Def Leppard song "Pour Some Sugar on Me" began to play from Lois' bag. Lois pulled out her cell phone and grimaced.

"Hello?" Lois said as she answered it.

She rolled her eyes as she mouthed 'John' and walked away to get some privacy. Chloe turned around to see that Callie had gravitated to the field across the street and seemed to be watching a Little League baseball game.

Chloe jogged across the street and stood next to her.

"You like baseball?" She asked.

"Somewhat." She replied sadly.

"What is it, Callie?"

"There are times here when I feel like I'm at home and then there are these gigantic reminders that I'm not."

"Like the building where you live that hasn't been built yet?"

Callie's eyes snapped to hers.

"Yeah, it's _that_ obvious." Chloe said.

"Guess I need to work my poker face better, huh? I'm starting to slack off."

"Or, I'm just very perceptive, which is why I'm wondering why you're looking so sad at a baseball game."

"I promised someone I care about that I would make it to his game. It's really important to him. I never want to let him down but since I'm here, it looks like I will."

"I'm still trying to track down Zatanna."

"I know. Thank you."

Chloe placed her hand on Callie's left shoulder and pulled her closer to her. She watched as one little boy got up to the plate and hit a home run. She smiled and looked down at Callie who had a somber look on her face.

"So is this someone a _special_ someone?"

Callie smiled wide. "He's very special to me."

"Well, whoever he is, he's lucky to have you."

Callie nodded and brushed her hand across her face.

"We should probably get back to Lois." Callie said, obviously wanting to now put as much distance between herself and that field.

"Right." Chloe said.

She wished that Callie would open up a little more to her, but she wouldn't pry. Callie would open up in time…at least she hoped.

~\~

After Lois received an annoying call from John at work, Callie said goodbye to Chloe and she and Lois went back to the Planet. Lois had handed her some papers to get copied and she obliged to do it. After temporarily escaping the kryptonite drama, she was dealt with seeing her nonexisting residence and Chloe asking her questions that she didn't want to answer. At the Planet, she wanted nothing more than to figure out the kryptonite mystery. Away from Lois she could investigate.

As she rounded the corner she could hear a woman's voice saying, "You see John Corben today? _Frea-ky_!"

"I know," another woman said. "He's been acting really weird. I saw him on the phone this morning getting all angry at someone. Can you say anger management?"

' _John Corben. John Corben. I know that name from somewhere in the future. I've heard it before. How?'_

Hopping over to an empty computer called sat at it and tried to figure out how to use it. She wasn't exactly used to this kind of technology let alone the programs to use on it. She wanted to figure out more about John Corben and his past.

Looking up she saw a guy eyeing her from one of the other desks. Biting her lower lip she got an idea.

' _Time to use feminine charm, like Mom says,'_ she thought as she got up from the desk.

Walking over to him she batted her eyelashes.

"Hi." He said nervously.

"Hi." Callie smiled as she twirled a piece of her hair with her index finger. "I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"Sure." He said, slightly squirming in his seat.

Callie smiled wide. ' _Piece of cake.'_

~\~

Lois looked at the empty seat across from her. She had sent Callie to copy some things a while ago, but she hadn't returned. Staring at the empty space again she was starting to get suspicious of John's behavior. He kept going missing and he seemed strange each time he did so. Tapping her fingers on her desk she suddenly had the urge to find out a little more about the guy who occupied the desk. Typing his name into a police program Chloe had installed for her, she decided to see what skeletons were in John Corben's closet.

As the page loaded her eyes widened by the content.

"Well, Mr. Corben, you've certainly been a busy little beaver haven't you. HR is certainly slacking."

Scrolling down she read as he was arrested in the past for attempted robberies a decade earlier. As she scrolled down further a name caught her eye.

**Jerry Ronson.**

She knew that name from somewhere. Looking through all the papers spread across her desk she pulled out her notepad and flipped back to her notes on the bank robbery.

"There it is, Jerry Ronson." She said.

How could she be so stupid? If she had just stuck to the story she would have pieced this together a lot quicker.

"Nice investigative reporting, Lane. The guy sits right across from you and you can't see he's living a double life?"

Scrolling down the page further she jotted down another name. Dr. Emmett Vale. According to a police report John Corben's car had been in an accident a few nights before and a witness caught the license plate of a car that went to help, and it belonged to a Dr. Emmett Vale.

Bringing up another tab on the internet browser she typed in Dr. Vale's name and came up with a few pages dedicated to his scientific discovery in a new alloy called ' _ **metallo'**_.

Hearing footsteps coming from behind her she quickly minimized her browser.

"I'm going to call it a night." She heard John say.

"Oh, okay." She said, hoping that her voice didn't give away anything suspicious.

"Night." She smiled and nodded at him. Once she saw him leave the building she quickly went back to her computer and printed out a few of the pages she had just found.

"Lois, you'll never guess what I just found out." Callie said, coming around the corner.

"More gossip from the tenth floor?"

"More like vital information." She said as she dropped papers in from Lois.

Lois flipped through them and saw that much of it was the same information she had just come across.

"Great minds must think alike." Lois said holding up the papers that just came out of her printer. "Good job, Callie."

"So, what are we going to do about it? I mean from what I dug up he's most likely connected to that robbery at the bank a couple days ago."

"I know. I'm going to fax this to my contact at the police department. I'll be right back."

"Should I call Clark?"

"For what?"

"Um, to pick us up. It's pretty late. Everyone else has gone home."

"No, let him sweat a bit more. He knows how I like to burn the midnight oil."

Lois rounded the corner and into the copy room. She placed her papers into the fax machine and punched in the number of her contact.

The door suddenly closed and she saw something green glowing in the corner.

"Can I help you?" Lois asked as her hand clenched into a fist.

"I guess the cat is out of the bag now, huh?" The voice said.

"Excuse me?"

The person walked out of the shadows and she could clearly see that it was John Corben.

"You think I don't know that you've been looking into me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Someone on the upper floor told me that your little helper today was looking into my past. I can only guess she was doing it for you." He said as he came closer to her.

"She has nothing to do with this. I looked into your past on my own. Pretty sketchy if you ask me. I mean attempted robberies, you know the guy at the bank heist, and then you're in a bad car accident a few nights ago and you come back without a scratch on you. What did Dr. Vale do to you?" She said eyeing the pulsating green light from under his shirt.

"Oh this?" He asked, ripping open his shirt. "This keeps me alive, but at what cost?" he exclaimed violently. "Do you know how hard it is to live life not being able to smell, or taste, or feel? All I know is if that freak blur hadn't messed up that bank robbery I would have been out of Metropolis and I wouldn't have had this done to me!" He screamed.

Moving over a few steps, Lois gripped her hands on a metal board on top of the filing cabinets. Using all her strength she hit him with it, but as the piece hit the floor he seemed unfazed by it.

"What are you?"

"Me? Well, after my car accident I woke up in a lab with this in my chest." He said pointing to the green glowing circular bubble on his chest. "I was told that my body had been so badly damaged it needed something so special just to keep me alive. A virtual indestructible alloy to take the place of my bones."

"Metallo." She breathed out.

"I see you've done your research well, Lane."

"So Dr. Vale just happened to be driving by and scooped you up to be his latest science experiment?"

"I took my revenge on what he did to me."

"You killed him?"

"Precisely. Now, tell me where to find the Red-Blue Blur."

"I don't know where he is. He might not even be alive."

"Oh, he's alive. And he always seems to be pretty keen on saving you, Miss Lane..."

~\~

Callie twisted in Lois' chair waiting for her. She glanced at her watch.

"This is taking too long."

Getting up from the chair she headed towards the copy room. She was getting a gut feeling something was wrong and Lois could be in trouble. As she tried to rush there her skirt wouldn't allow her to.

"Of course today I wear a skirt."

Taking the slit on the side in her hands she ripped it up so she could move easier. As she edged closer to the room a sudden pain hit her temples. Pushing the pain away from her mind she focused on the voices coming from the room.

" **Tell me where to find the Blur!"**

" **I told you I don't know!"**

Motivating herself to get into the room she saw the back of John Corben. In a bold move she tapped Corben on his shoulder. When he turned around she put all her strength into her clenched fist and punched him on the left side of his face. His head moved slightly to the right, but he was virtually unfazed.

Callie pulled her throbbing hand to her chest. As she looked down at it she pulled off a part of skin that was stuck to her knuckles. As she got a full view of him she could see that his face now partially revealed gray metal that dominated his skin color. Her eyes traveled down to his chest where she could visibly see the green kryptonite glowing intensely.

' _Metallo. Of course, John Corben is Metallo. Great that I realize that now.'_ She thought.

"Like what you see?"

Before she could even react he got a hold of her. Her teeth clenched in pain as she felt him pull her toward him, the kryptonite radiating in her back. Taking her ponytail into his hand he smashed her face first into the desk beside him.

" _ **Callie!**_ " Lois screamed in horror.

Callie felt herself fall to the floor and saw droplets of blood fall beneath her. She wanted to get up, but she couldn't.

Weak and disoriented she heard as Metallo grabbed Lois. She could hear her struggling to get out of his grip. It was killing Callie to hear this and not be able to do anything. The pain was becoming too intense for her.

Fighting the pain she tried to pull herself up, but she was too weak. She collapsed back down to the ground. The last thing she heard was Lois scream her name and then she blacked out.


	12. Chapter Eleven: How Do You Solve a Problem like Metallo?

**Chapter Eleven:** _**How Do You Solve a Problem like Metallo?** _

_Callie sat in the bleachers at the field anxiously. She heard the baseball bat crack against the baseball and watched as the ball flew higher and higher and then over the fence. The crowd roared as number eight rounded the bases with a big smile on his face._

_Climbing off the bleachers she made her way to the ground and held onto the chain link fence as he arrived at home plate._

" _Did you see? Did you see?" he asked as he ran up to her._

" _Yeah, it was a-mazing" she gushed. "Way to go, Slugger."_

" _You're coming next week, right?"_

" _Of course I am. Nothing in the world could stop me from being there…"_

The memories faded as the hard floor beneath her came into view. Callie winced as she moved her hand to rub her head as she started to come to. Wiping something wet off her forehead she looked down to see that blood was all over her hand.

"That's going to leave a mark," she said, pushing herself up off the ground. "Lois?"

Looking around the room the recollection of what had just happened resurfaced in her brain. She had never stood a chance against Metallo.

"Damn," she whispered.

She viewed that she was alone and feared how much time had elapsed since Metallo had knocked her out and kidnapped Lois.

Frantic she ran out of the room and to Lois' desk. She wasn't sure what to do at first. Her mind was going a mile a minute so it was hard for her to think properly. Her heart raced and her breathing became rapid. She was panicking. Glancing down she saw that Lois' purse had spilled out across the desk. Spotting her cell phone Callie scooped it up and scrolled through the contacts looking for Clark's name. Once she found it she hit the call button.

' _Please pick up. Please pick up.'_ She pleaded in her thoughts.

"You finally ready Lois?" Clark asked when he picked up, amusement in his voice.

"Clark, it's Callie." She said, her voice quivering.

"Callie? What's wrong?" He said, his voice turning very serious.

"Clark, he has her. Corben took Lois. I tried to stop him, but—"

"Where are you?"

Composing herself she replied, "I'm still at the Daily Planet."

"Meet me at the Watchtower." He said before the line went dead.

Gathering the papers she had on Corben she placed them in the purse, put it on her shoulder, and super-sped into Watchtower. Walking through the threshold, Chloe and Clark's eyes widened when they got a look of her face.

"Callie." Chloe gasped.

"You should see the other guy. Tore half his face off… literally" She tried to joke, failing miserably as she looked down at her knuckles.

"What happened?" Clark demanded.

"Remember this morning when you and I both said that we didn't like the guy sitting across from Lois? Well, we were right. He's a criminal and he was in an accident a couple nights ago. Somehow he made a miraculous recovery with the help of a Dr. Emmet Vale." She said, pulling out the papers she had and handing them to Chloe.

"He's made out of a metal alloy known as _**metallo**_ ," she continued, "Oh and did I forget to mention that he has a kryptonite heart?"

Chloe and Clark's eyes snapped to each other and then to Callie.

"Did you say kryptonite heart?" Chloe asked.

"Yes. So, he's especially dangerous." Callie said, eyeing Clark.

She was deeply concerned as to what he was going to do. She knew how he would get when someone was in trouble, but this time it wasn't just someone, it was Lois. To make matters worse the guy he would have to go up against sported kryptonite on his chest.

Turning to all the technology in the room, Clark said, "We have to find them."

"Do you have any idea where they went?" Chloe asked Callie.

"No, I was out cold."

Clark closed his eyes and concentrated. Distraught, he said, "I can't hear her voice."

' _Why is he focusing on her voice?'_ She asked herself.

"Then don't focus on her voice. Focus on her heartbeat."

Clark looked at her questionably, but, with no other options, closed his eyes and concentrated again.

Chloe leaned into Callie and whispered, "But how will he know her heartbeat?"

"He'll know it." Callie said with certainty.

A moment later his eyes instantly opened. "I can hear it," he said, eager to get to her.

As he moved toward the exit Callie stopped him. "Wait a second. You can't just charge in there. We need a plan first."

"Lois' life is at stake here."

"Don't you think I know that!?" Callie screamed angrily. "But you can't just speed in there. He's not some punk from the street. He has a chest full of kryptonite."

"I realize that."

"No, I don't think you do. I know that you've faced others before who have had meteor powers and what not, but this guy is in a whole different league. You won't even be able to touch him."

"I'll figure it out." He said as he sped off.

"Clark!" She screamed after him. "Damn it!"

~\~

When Clark stopped he took in his surroundings. The sound of Lois' heartbeat led him to the warehouse district of Metropolis. All the buildings were dark and close together by the water. Using his x-ray vision he scanned the perimeter until he saw Lois' arms chained around a pole.

He knew that Callie was right. He couldn't just bust his way in there to save the day. If he did that he could end up getting Lois and himself killed. Watching intently he waited until Corben moved out of the room. As long as Clark could maintain a certain amount of distance he could get Lois out of there. He would deal with Corben after that.

Making sure the coast was clear he used his super-strength to open the locked side door and snuck inside. He could see her. Her head was slumped low, her hair a mess, and a cut bled above her left eyebrow.

' _He's a dead man'_ he thought.

Progressing quickly toward her, he again made sure Corben was far enough away before he let Lois know he was there.

"Lois. Lois, wake up." He said in a low voice.

"Clark?" She whispered weakly as she lifted her head to him.

She managed to smile a bit when she saw it was him, but her smile quickly fell, though, when she realized where she was.

"How did you find me?"

"Corben left a trail," he lied.

"Clark, John, he's made out of this weird alloy. He's indestructible." She cautioned.

"I know. Callie got us the information." He gazed at her features again. "Let's get you out of here."

As he went to break her restraints, pain suddenly bombarded his body. He hadn't been quick enough, he realized. He felt a strong hand pull the back of his black shirt and seconds later he was flung clear across the room. His back hit the wall and it severely ached as he fell down on the floor.

"Clark!" Lois yelled.

Corben then made his way to him and punched him in the face and gut. Clark could feel the blood come out of the side of his mouth. He had been in positions like this before and made it out alive. He assured himself that this time wasn't going to be any different. Picking up his head he stared straight into his eyes.

"Clark Kent," John said. "You're not the gallant hero I was hoping for." He picked Clark up by the neck and pinned him against the wall. Clark gasped for breath as the intensity of the kryptonite was becoming unbearable. "But this could work in my favor. Two hostages should be more than enough to smoke out the Blur."

Releasing his grip on Clark's neck, Clark slumped down to the ground and tried to catch his breath. He looked to Lois who had fear and worry written all over her face. He then looked around the warehouse trying to find something that he could combat Corben with. He thought about trying to use one of his abilities, but he was too weak at the moment.

He was helpless.

~\~

Callie ran down the stairs, having changed her torn clothes into a red shirt and blue jeans she borrowed from Chloe.

"You find anything yet?" She asked as she reached the bottom.

"Got it." Chloe said, whipping around in her chair. "I locked into Clark's cell phone and tracked him to the warehouse district by the water."

"Okay, well any chance you have a giant magnet around so I can stop Metalhead?"

"Sadly, I don't. I brought up the plans of the buildings and unfortunately none of the buildings have any lead, so trapping him is out of the question."

Callie dug into her memories trying to figure out how Metallo was stopped initially. She knew the kryptonite kept him alive, so if he was somehow separated from it the problem would be eradicated, but there was no way she could get close enough to remove it.

He was also a walking hunk of metal. If she could immobilize him, even if for a second, it would be long enough to save Lois, and even Clark if she had to.

' _How can I disable him?'_ She thought intently.

Her head instantly rose up when the answer came to her.

"Oliver." She said aloud.

"Huh?" Chloe said.

"I need to get to Oliver's. I think he may have something I can use."

"Like what?"

"He has this special arrow. When shot out it sends out these pulses, creating an electromagnetic pull. Metallo is metal and machine-like. If I can stun him for even a second and get him in the trajectory of the pull, I can then super-speed in and save the day."

"He might not even be there."

"Doesn't matter."

"What? You're just going to go in there and steal the supplies?"

"I'd like to think of it more as borrowing." Callie said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Chloe called out. "Won't the kryptonite affect your powers like Clark?"

Callie spun around. She had every power that he had, but she wasn't as fast as he was or as strong. This was due to the fact that she wasn't one-hundred percent kryptonian like her father. This however worked in her favor in several instances; since she was half kryptonian it meant that she was only half as susceptible to kryptonite.

' _But it still hurts like hell when I do come upon it.'_ She thought.

"I'm half and half. Clark is fully kryptonian, I'm not. So the kryptonite won't affect me as much as it does him. I can fight through it enough to get them out."

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked in a weary tone.

"Believe me; if I didn't know that I could do it I wouldn't be doing it."

Chloe picked up Lois' phone and handed it Callie. "Here take this. I programmed it so it would take you exactly where Lois and Clark are. I assume you already know where the clock tower is?"

Callie smiled and nodded.

"Callie, be careful."

"You know it." She winked.

Flying out of the Watchtower she landed on Oliver's terrace. She eyed the giant green clock on the wall and took a deep breath as she headed toward the hidden chamber. Making her way into the center of the room she saw bottles of alcohol strewn across the coffee table and desk.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." She whispered to herself.

Walking in further she saw a body laid out on the spiral staircase. Seeing the blond hair she knew it was Ollie. Kicking his one extended leg hard, he jolted awake.

"What the hell? Who are you?"

"Me? I'm the ghost of Christmas future. I'm here to tell you to **get off your ass**!" She said angrily.

' _Seriously, did I stumble into the Twilight Zone here? Everyone is acting like it's Opposite Day or something.'_ She thought,

"What?" He said rubbing his head and then moved it down to the leg she kicked.

Pulling a wine bottle from the desk she waved it in front of him and asked, "What is this?"

"France's finest?" He sarcastically replied.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What happened to you? I mean, what is this some kind of dark superhero pandemic? First Clark and his trench coat, now you in the gutter?" She said waving the bottle again.

"Superhero? Clark? Who are you?" He asked, rising up and using the banister to sturdy himself.

"Rest assured, I'm a friend. My name is Callie and I came here because I need your help. Lois and Clark are in trouble."

He sobered up at the news of Lois and Clark being in trouble, but then she saw guilt cloud his brown eyes.

"I can't help you."

"Why?" She asked in disbelief.

"Because I've given up that part of my life."

Callie scoffed and shook her head at him. She could not believe what she was hearing. "Given it up?"

"The mean streets are better off without me. All I do is apparently screw things up and make them worse."

" _Right_ , 'It's not easy being green'. I've heard the song, Kermie." She expected some kind of classic Oliver Queen retort, but he didn't move or say anything. "Fine, you know what. Get back to your pity party. I'll just do this myself."

Walking over to the giant clock hands she pried the hidden doors open and proceeded to raid his weapons collection.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked as he quickly came down the stairs, but he suddenly stopped and grabbed his head, his hangover obviously taking effect.

Picking up the arrows she needed, she picked up his bow and slung it over her shoulder.

"Taking care of business." She said as she sped out of the loft.

~\~

Clark struggled to free his hands from the pipe they were bound against.

"Clark, are you okay?" Lois asked.

Clark peered up into her eyes. "I'm fine. Are you okay?"

"Not really." She said, pulling on her chains.

Clark watched as Lois held back her anger towards Corben, who stood close enough to them in the room that Clark still couldn't use any of his powers.

"It's really nice of you to come in here and try and save your girlfriend." He said, walking towards Clark.

Clark could feel the pain rising in him once more. His breathing became sharper with every step Corben took.

"John, you don't have to do this." He managed to say.

"Yes, I do!" he cried. "I'm not even John anymore. I'm…" he looked at his skin. "I'm _Metallo._ "

He turned around and headed straight for Lois. Gripping the back of her head Clark watched as he began to kiss her. Jealousy overpowered his pain. He pulled at his chains trying to break free while he saw Lois struggle under him. Metallo pulled back and Lois shook her head and spit several times.

"I didn't feel anything." He said.

"Good to know. Wish you could have figured that out before you ogled me at work."

"No, I didn't feel _anything_. I can't feel, I can't taste or smell. I'm not human anymore." Clenching his fist he said, "And it's the Blur's fault!"

Clark hitched a breath as he saw Metallo hit one of the structures posts in rage, chunks of it flying in all directions.

"Why?" Clark asked.

"Why? _WHY_? I've been waiting for my big payout forever. I was so close. I had it all planned. It was perfect. Then the Blur showed up and ruined _everything_. If he hadn't been there I wouldn't have been in my car. I wouldn't be **this** right now! And when he shows up, and I know he will, I'll make him pay."

"You're a psycho." Lois blurted out.

"Lois!" Clark warned.

"No, Clark, I'm tired of hearing this walking Terminator wannabe bad mouth the Blur. He was stopping a _crime_. You know, something that's against the law. You didn't deserve to get your _payoff_. And when he gets here, I hope he kicks your ass."

Metallo headed back toward her and hit her across her face.

"No!" Clark shouted, again pulling at his chains.

Worried about Lois' state he breathed a sigh of relief when she rose her head back up. She was okay… for now.

Anger pumped through his veins. The kryptonite may have been hindering his abilities, but he prayed that testosterone and adrenaline would result in him breaking his chains.

' _I swear, when I get my hands on him…'_ He seethed in his mind.

He jerked out of his thoughts when Metallo shifted his head up to the ceiling where some metal bridges were suspended. Turning his head up there as well he noticed a small shadow.

' _There's someone up there.'_ he thought.

~\~

Callie arrived at the location that Lois' cell phone specified. Using her x-ray vision she spotted the trio in the warehouse. Flying up to the roof she found an open window and quietly snuck in with her new acquired gear. Placing her feet quietly on the suspension bridge high above the ground she picked out an arrow and placed it in the bow. During the action she had a bit of déjà vu, remembering the first time she was taught to hold the bow and arrow correctly. Pushing the memory out of her mind she focused on the task at hand.

She noticed that Metallo looked up in her direction, but didn't see her. Pressing her lips together she took position.

"Eenie…" she said moving the arrow to find the perfect spot, "meenie… miney…" finding the spot she said, "moe."

She shot the arrow aiming for the point closest to Metallo. As soon as the arrow almost hit its target Metallo caught it in midair and crushed it in his grasp.

"Crap." She whispered.

Metallo looked up from his hand to her direction again but she sped away, her clothes creating a red-blue streak before he could see her true form.

"Hey Blur, you finally showed up!" He shouted.

Callie crouched in a dark corner and pulled out another arrow, attempting to try to shoot it again.

"What's with the new toys?" He shouted up to the ceiling.

She concentrated on the spot again. She quickly glanced to Clark, who was glancing up in her direction. Moving her eyes back, she took a deep breath as she aimed the bow and arrow. Holding in another breath she took the shot. When it hit the wall the field expanded causing Metallo to begin to deactivate and be pulled backwards, as well as other metal objects not bolted down in the vicinity.

Now was her chance to move.

~\~

Lois watched wide eyed as Metallo started to fly backwards. The chains around her hands began to be pulled in the direction as well, the force making them tighten around her. As she was about to scream from the pain she felt a sudden gust of wind and immediately felt like she was floating.

In a flash she noticed that she was outside. Her wrists still throbbed, yet the chains were gone. She was okay. She looked around to see if anyone else was around, but she was alone.

' _Was it really him?'_ She asked herself.

When she saw the arrow fly into the room she was convinced that Oliver was there, but the apparent blur Metallo said he saw confirmed that it couldn't have been him. She smiled at the thought that the Red-Blue Blur had saved her once again and that he truly was alive.

"Thank you." She whispered into the sky hoping he could hear her somehow.

However, her moment of joy was quickly squashed when she remembered that Clark was still in the warehouse with Metallo. Fear sprang up inside of her. She walked forward as if to go back to the warehouse, but she stopped herself.

' _What can you do? The Blur just got you out of danger are you going to run back in? For what?'_

She bit her lip as her heart and her head started to duel. She knew it would be stupid to go back, only she couldn't leave. She hoped that the Blur would save Clark as well, but there was no way to be sure what was happening in the warehouse.

It was settled. Her heart won. She was going back.

~\~

After leaving Lois far enough away, Callie flew back to the warehouse at lightning speed. When she got there she ended up in the middle of the giant room, except Metallo was nowhere to be found. Eying the room suspiciously, her baby blues soon fell on Clark, who was slumped over on the ground.

"Clark!" she called out as she bent beside him.

She watched as he swallowed back in pain. He was sweating and blood oozed out of cuts on his face and wrists. She used her strength and ripped the chains free from the pipe and slid them down off his hands.

"I thought I told you to stay out of trouble." She said in the process.

When she finished she caught his eyes widening to something behind her and as if on cue the familiar pain of kryptonite returned. She squeezed her eyes closed and felt her body being lifted off the ground. She felt the air underneath her and then the rock-solid wall. Falling to the ground she rolled over on her side.

"You again." Metallo said.

Metallo stalked toward her. She could feel the pain increasing in her body. She held up her hands as he was about to strike. Suddenly the bridge above them broke loose and tumbled down. Callie rolled toward the wall trying desperately to get out of the way as the debris fell down.

~\~

As Metallo retreated away from him, Clark gained some strength. When he saw Metallo was about to strike Callie he drew on whatever power he had left to use his heat vision and loosened the bridge above. When it fell it trapped Metallo under it.

Pushing himself up off the ground he crawled to the center and saw that Callie was caught under some of the rubble.

"Callie…" he breathed out.

She looked up at him and gave him a thumbs up, indicating that she was okay, as she pushed the metal pieces away she stood up and moved toward him as quickly as she could.

Feeling someone hook their arm under his shoulder they pulled him up. Looking over his shoulder he saw the familiar green costume. Oliver.

"I got you, buddy." He said.

"Thanks." Clark said, confused as to why Oliver was there.

"Didn't think you'd show." Callie said to Oliver.

"Yeah, well, I almost didn't. Where's Lois?"

"Safe." She replied.

Clark smiled inwardly. It put him at ease knowing that she was okay and oddly enough, it also started to give him more strength.

As the three of them walked further away from the heap of metal, a loud rumble made them turn back. Shards of metal flew into the air and all of them dove to the ground to bypass them. They each witnessed Metallo rising up in the middle. More pieces of his skin were missing and he stared at them rabid.

"WHERE IS HE? WHERE'S THE BLUR?" He demanded.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Oliver pull something out of his green bag.

"Thought we might need these." Oliver said he popped open the paint cans with the tip of an arrow and handed them to Clark and Callie.

Clark glanced down and saw that Oliver had given them lead-based paint. Metallo cocked his head in puzzlement as he eyed them.

Each held the lead based paint cans and threw the contents in Metallo's direction. Clark started to feel his strength fully come back as the white paint dripped over the kryptonite, encasing it.

"What is this?" Metallo asked.

"We thought this color would look better on you." Oliver said.

Metallo screamed as he charged in their direction. Feeling at full power again Clark charged toward him fast, fist clenched, and landed an uppercut punch that sent Metallo flying into the air and into the other bridge that was still hanging, destroying it.

After landing with the 'thud',Metallo managed to get up and stared straight into Clark's eyes.

"You. You're the Blur aren't you?"

Metallo pulled something out of his pants pocket and smiled evilly. "Looks like I get the last laugh, Blur."

Clark noticed that Metallo was holding a detonator.

As Clark geared up into super-speed he watched Callie grab Ollie's arm and pull him out of the building. Instead of following them he decided to try and get the detonator before Metallo could react. When he was centimeters away he saw Metallo's thumb hit the button.

Then the building blew up.

~\~

As Lois walked down the road she was greeted by a sea of warehouses that looked exactly the same. Frustrated, she grumbled,"This is impossible."

Walking further she was startled by the sound of an explosion. Running in the direction she heard the explosion come from she saw that the warehouse closest to the water was on fire.

"Clark." She whispered in fear.

She ran faster and faster, but stopped when she saw a figure walking out of the flames at the entryway. She held her breath as she started to feel droplets of water fall on her. The figure continued moving closer and closer to her. She thought that it could only be one of two people that could have survived, Metallo or the Blur. The smoke impeded her vision and she swatted at it, trying to see. She could hear the steps grow louder, but she was paralyzed. Then they spoke.

"Lois."

A wide smile appeared across her face at the voice.

"Clark?" She whispered in disbelief.

Through the smoke he walked to her. She could clearly make out his face, the ashes that were on it and the parts of his clothes that weren't charred. When he was close enough she latched onto him, her fingernails digging into his back.

"For a second I thought you didn't make it." She cried.

She felt his arms around her, gripping her with the same intensity as her own. She didn't know where she stopped and he began.

The clouds opened up even more as the few droplets of rain turned into a downpour. Pulling back slightly she placed one hand on the side of his face and let it slide down slowly.

"But how—" She breathed out, astonished that he was alive.

He shook his head, "I don't know."

' _The Blur.'_ She thought. ' _He saved him.'_

Sirens and the flashing of blue and red lights suddenly surrounded them. Cops cars, ambulances, and fire engines piled onto the streets. As the fire fighters put their hoses together and ran for the fire, a police officer came up to Lois and Clark.

"Are you folks okay?"

They both nodded.

"Lois! Clark!" A voice rang out.

Lois saw that Chloe too had arrived amidst the chaos.

"Are you two okay?" She asked.

"We're fine." Clark said.

"Miss?"

Lois turned to the voice. It was the same police officer as before.

"I need to ask you some questions."

"Sure." She said.

Breaking away from Clark's grasp, her hand slid slowly across his sopping wet chest as she walked toward the officer. Their eyes locked for a moment before she tore them away. As much as she wanted to stay in their previous position, she was grateful to break free from him. There was haziness around them… and it wasn't due to the smoke.

The cop asked her all types of questions. How did she get there, what did John Corben do to them, and most importantly… how did she get out? Her mind snapped back to thoughts of the Blur.

Somewhere out there she hoped that he was okay. This certainly was going to help her editorial. She wanted him to know what it meant to her that he had saved her. What it meant to know that he was in the world.

Just thinking about him and what he did put a smile on her face. He had stayed true to his word.

' _He really is keeping an eye on me,'_ she thought.

While she tuned out all the commotion around her, she found bliss in that very thought.

~\~

"Mother nature's own sprinkler system." Chloe commented as the rain fell.

Clark nodded, trying to listen to Chloe, but also trying to see what was happening with Lois.

"They're probably just questioning her as to what happened." Chloe said, noticing his actions.

He turned back to her and commented, "Right."

"Should I even ask where Metallo is now?"

Clark shook his head. "I don't know. I used my x-ray vision, but there was no body."

"Where's Callie?"

"Right behind you."

Clark watched as Chloe turned around and grabbed Callie into a big hug.

"Looks like your plan worked." Chloe said.

"Somewhat. Had to improvise a little and surprisingly got help from an _unlikely source_." Callie said.

"He called after you left. I let him know what was happening. I wasn't sure if he'd show up either, but something must have changed his mind." Chloe said alluding to Oliver's sudden resurrection as Green Arrow.

"Well, I'm grateful." Callie said.

"Grateful for what?" Lois said, rejoining the group.

"That you're okay." Callie said, grabbing Lois into a hug.

"I'm glad you're okay too." Clark heard her say softly.

As she pulled back he could see Lois' facial expression change as she said, "They want to have me checked out by the hospital."

"I think that's a good idea." Clark said.

' _Who knows how much trauma she's had tonight.'_ He thought.

"Well if I'm going then so are you, buddy."

"I'll be right behind you, Lois." He assured her, not that he needed any medical attention or anything.

"You better be!"

Chloe shot a smile at Clark and walked towards Lois.

"I'll go with you for now." She said, pulling Lois in the direction of the ambulance.

Clark gazed at Lois as he saw her walk away with Chloe to one of waiting paramedics. Turning to Callie he could see that anger was rising in her eyes, a sudden change from the relief he saw just seconds before.

"I can't believe you." She said angrily.

He wasn't sure why she had the sudden mood swing, but the only thing he could think of was that she was still irate that he had run off earlier to get Lois.

"Callie, I had to. Lois was in trouble."

"Yeah, I know that!" She yelled.

The rain began to come down harder on them. She looked around them and pulled them to a more secluded location in an alleyway between buildings.

"Do you know what you did to me by pulling that? How could you be so stupid? You could have died!" She exclaimed.

As Clark listened to the emotion in her voice he felt guilty. Staring at her he couldn't tell whether she was crying or if it was the rain staining her face.

She walked closer to him and pushed her arms into his chest and shoved him back, the water from his soaked clothes splashing up every time she did so.

"You could have died!"

**Shove.**

"You could have died!"

**Shove.**

She then stopped and just stared at him silently. "You could have died," she whispered before she super-sped away, leaving him more confused and suspicious as ever.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Breakdown

**Chapter Twelve:** _**Breakdown** _

"Lois, I'm getting my car, I swear. I'll meet you there." Chloe said as the paramedics closed the back of the ambulance.

Sighing she turned back in the direction of her car.

' _When will this rain let up?'_ She wondered.

It had been a long night. First Clark sped in out of nowhere telling her that Lois was in trouble, then Callie showed up with cuts and blood all over her. She was surprised that she still looked so hurt even after being away from the kryptonite Metallo had on his body, but her explanation of her being only half kryptonian made a bit of sense of why she didn't heal as fast as Clark usually did.

Getting closer to her car she heard an angered voice to her left say, "You could have died!"

She turned to see Callie pushing Clark back with force.

"You could have died." She said again and then disappeared.

Chloe was shocked to witness that, though, in a way, she could understand. Callie's life was fragile in this time. If anything happened to Clark or Lois it could mean that she could never be born.

Walking up to a dazed Clark she asked, "What happened?"

"I have no idea."

"She seemed really upset. You should go after her."

"I wouldn't even know where to look."

That was true. Callie could be anywhere in the world. However, memories from earlier in the day came to the forefront of Chloe's mind.

"Actually, I might have an idea."

~\~

When she stopped running Callie found herself at the park across the street from the construction site on Sullivan Lane. She glanced across the street. That was where she had lived. She grew up in that apartment building, the building that didn't exist yet.

Walking into the playground she sat on the swing and just let the rain hit her face, washing away the tears from her eyes.

' _How could he be so stupid?'_ she thought. ' _How could he put himself in a position like that?'_

She could feel as her eyes welled up again and her bottom lip started to tremble. She had never wanted to think about the horrible thoughts that were creeping up in her head again. She tried to will them away, but the emotions she had inside of her wouldn't vacate. She closed her eyes and she could see it all over again.

_She was five years old. She was sitting at the table in the dining room of the farmhouse drawing a picture of her family. She labeled her mom, her dad, herself, her grandma, and her puppy. She was so proud of it._

_Picking up her picture she walked into the living room to show her grandmother._

" _Grandma, look what I drawed."_

_She looked up to see her grandma with her hand covering her mouth and a single tear streaming down her face._

" _Grandma?" she asked, worried._

_Her grandmother slowly looked down to her and quickly turned off the television._

" _Grandma, what's wrong?"_

_Her grandmother knelt down to her and cupped her face. She could tell she wanted to say something, yet before she could the telephone began to ring. Her grandma sniffed back her tears and tried to hide her emotions from her. She stood back up and picked up the phone._

_Callie just watched her. She was so confused. Her grandmother was sad, but she didn't know why._

" _Hello?" Her grandma asked, her voice quivering._

_She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath as she listened to whoever was on the other line._

" _She's fine. I didn't say anything." She took a beat and asked the person, "How is she? I saw….I saw what happened and that she was there. How is she taking this?"_

_She closed her eyes to the person's response._

" _Are you coming here?" She nodded and Callie wondered who she was nodding to. "I'll wait for you to get here then. Just tell her that everything will be okay."_

_Her grandmother then slowly hung up the phone and stared at her._

" _Grandma, what's going on?"_

" _Your mommy is coming here soon. She'll explain."_

_Callie nodded and looked down at her picture._

" _I made this." She said holding it up again._

" _Oh, yeah? Let's take a look at it." Her grandma said, trying to have some cheer in her voice._

_Her grandmother sat on the couch and Callie climbed into her lap as she held up the picture._

" _This is mommy." She said pointing to the pink stick figure, "That's me, that's Krypto, and here's you," she said smiling up at her grandmother._

" _And here's daddy," she said, referring to the red and blue stick figure._

_The second she said that she noticed a sad look upon her grandma's face. Now, she definitely knew something was wrong. She put her picture down and hugged her grandma._

" _Whenever I feel sad mommy or daddy hug me it always makes me feel better."_

_Her grandmother held her tight. "Thank you. I do feel a bit better now."_

_Callie smiled, "Good."_

" _How about you go upstairs and play for a little bit. When your mom gets here I call you down."_

_Callie nodded and climbed up the stairs. When she got to the top she realized that her grandma had told her that her mom was coming, but not her dad. Both of her parents always came to pick her up. Maybe her grandma had made a mistake; she had to have meant that both of them were coming._

_Some time had passed since she had been upstairs. She had been playing with her new puppy up in the bedroom. She picked him up gently and held him as she moved the curtain from the window. This had started to become a habit. She would bring Krypto to the window and wait until she saw her parents, but mostly her dad, come home. Her tummy started to hurt as she looked out the window and wondered what was taking them so long. Then, like magic, a car pulled into the driveway._

_Callie let go of Krypto and ran down the stairs, but stopped when she saw her mother come through the front door. Her clothes were torn and dirty. She had red splatters all over her, as well. Then her eyes traveled up to her face, which was blank of any emotion. Oliver and Dinah were on each side of her, walking her in steadily._

" _Mommy?" she asked in a small voice._

_Dinah and Oliver let go of her mother as she crouched down, her eyes glassy. Brushing her hand across Callie's tiny cheek she said softly, "Hi, baby."_

_Callie swallowed back hard as she looked at everyone's faces. Something had happened. Something bad and there was only one person that was absent from the room. She may have been five, but she could piece together all kinds of puzzles. Now, there was a piece missing. A great pain hit her heart. She knew._

" _He's not coming home is he?" she asked, tears filling up in her little blue eyes._

_Her mother was silent and shook her head 'no'. She was trying so hard not to cry but a few tears managed to escape._

" _No." Callie said, shaking her head._

_Her mother went to reach for her, but she backed away deflecting her attempt._

" _NO!" She screamed._

" _Callie…" her grandmother called out to her._

" _No! I want my daddy!" She bawled as she stomped up the stairs._

_She ran into the bedroom and slid under the bed. Krypto was already under there chewing on his dog toy. She pet the puppy and laid her head next to him. Unable to be in control of her eyes she just let the tears flow._

_She soon heard footsteps approaching her hidden space. Ollie's face appeared as he bent down to look for her under the bed, holding the bunny her dad had given her._

" _Callie, could you come out from under there, please?" He asked, his voice very gentle._

" _No!"She said sternly. She wasn't going to move, not until her dad came back._

" _Okay," he nodded, unwilling to put up a fight. She watched as he stood up and walked out of the room, leaving the bunny behind._

_She grabbed the bunny, clutching it to her chest and closing her eyes tight._

" _Daddy," she whispered in the bunny's ear. There was nothing but silence."Daddy, come home," she whispered again._

_He didn't come. He had always told her that if she whispered into the bunny's ear he could hear it from miles and miles away and he would come home. Listening closely all she could hear was the sound of Krypto and his toy and nothing else. She burst into another round of sobs._

' _Why? Why isn't he coming? Why?' she thought._

_Suddenly she didn't want to be alone. She didn't feel safe anymore._

_Wiping away the tears from her face and wetness under her nose with her sleeve she crawled out from under the bed and hid at the top of the stairs._

" _Ollie." She heard her mother cry. "Why did this have to happen?"_

" _I don't know, Lois." He said as he enveloped her in a hug._

_Her mother pulled back and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Her hands then traveled down her body and landed on top of her stomach._

" _I didn't get to tell him." She whispered._

" _Tell him what?" Ollie asked._

_Her mother looked down at her stomach and then sadly looked up at him._

" _Oh…Lo—are you?"_

_Her mother nodded slowly. Oliver then again pulled her into a hug. Her grandmother then came into view and rubbed her back._

" _You're not alone in this, okay? I'm here, Dinah is here, the whole league will be there for you and the baby."_

" _And so will I." Her grandmother added._

_Callie's eyes widened._

' _Baby? Mommy is having a baby?' she thought._

_She came out of her hiding place and slowly descended the stairs. The television was on and she saw people running in the streets, buildings collapsing and on fire, and then a vicious monster was put on the screen with large red beady eyes. In the next shot she could see him fighting with someone dressed in red and blue._

' _Daddy.' She thought._

_There was a big headline on the screen and she tried to sound it out loud._

" _Do-dooms—day k-kills Supe-Super-man." She whispered._

_Her mother heard this and whipped her head to her. She then turned toward Dinah and barked, "Turn that off!"_

_She then turned to the stairs and ran toward her and scooped her up in her arms, holding her closely._

" _I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." She breathed into the side of her head._

" _Is he going to come after us next?" She asked, her voice trembling in fear._

" _Who sweetie?" Her mother asked, confused._

" _The monster. Do-doomsday."_

_Pulling back a few inches her mother placed her forehead against hers._

" _No. Daddy made sure that he'd never hurt anyone again."_

" _Is that…why…" she trailed off, the tears resurfacing._

" _I'm so sorry."_

Her mother's voice rang in her ears. She swung on the swing still in a daze and tugged at the chain around her neck. That had been the worst day of her life.

When she had gotten Oliver out of the warehouse she was sure that _Clark_ had followed behind her. Watching the building blow up and having him still be in there put her back in the position of the five-year-old girl. In those few seconds before she saw him walk out she felt scared, she felt alone, she felt all the safety fall away from her life. The fire could have caused the paint to melt off of Metallo's kryptonite heart and then he would have been stuck in there, powerless to get out. Then he emerged and she sped down to make sure he was okay. The moment she was alone and face to face with him the emotions she had been trying to subdue bursted out of her like a volcanic eruption.

She had thought he was dead and it brought her back to that infamous day. That day for her…no, not just the day, the whole period of time that he had been gone, she had never wanted to feel that way again in her life. She had been so scared and she remembered distinctly that when he "died" he took with him any sense of safety she had.

Callie closed her eyes and let the rain cool her down. She hoped that when she opened them back up she would magically be transported home, but she knew that wouldn't happen.

She wouldn't be home, her home didn't exist there yet. Her parents may exist, but they weren't her parents. They didn't know the right things to say to her or have the same prudence that would grow over time because of having a family.

' _Though there is the chicken soup thing. Anytime Mom knows I'm not feeling right she always goes for the chicken soup._ ' _Soup-er Woman,_ '' she thought.

Even though there was a sense of familiarity that made her feel grounded and comfortable it wasn't the same. Nothing was the same. Besides, she had to keep lying to everyone and it was killing her.

Hopping off the swing she walked over to the baseball field and headed for home plate. She sat down, getting the sand all over her clothes. She ran her fingers through it and then clumped in her fist.

Then there was her brother. Her little brother. He had his big All-Star game coming up. She had spent countless hours helping him prepare for it when her parents weren't available to do so. He had hit a homerun the week before. She was so proud of him. He wanted to make sure that she was coming to his big game and she promised that nothing in the world would keep her from it.

"I guess I lied." She said all choked up. "Sorry, little dude."

She sniffed back some tears, still she knew another batch was coming. She wanted out. She wanted to be away from Metallo. Away from Zod. Away from…Doomsday. DOOMSDAY.

The bright red, beady eyes flashed in her brain. She felt her body flinch and shake. The dream she had the night before was beginning to haunt her thoughts. In the period of time she thought her father was dead she had nightmares of Doomsday, but when he had come back, and deeply assured her that Doomsday was indeed no longer alive, the nightmares had gone away in time. She hadn't thought about him in years. He was dead. It was over. She moved on. But in 2009, however, she felt the need to turn her head over her shoulder every second in fear that Doomsday would break out from underneath the earth and attack. She anticipated his arrival even if that arrival wouldn't happen for about ten years.

Ten years. In ten years she would relive it again. Well not her, but her younger self. The sleepless nights, the imposters, her pregnant mother working in overdrive refusing to be the grieving widow and secretly looking endlessly for her father, believing that he was still alive.

She grew up that day. She vowed to herself to never feel that vulnerable again. She had to take care of her mother and her new sibling. That was her job. She would protect them, just like her dad did.

Tears started to pour out of her eyes. She had never been able to get out of that mindset. Even after her father returned she was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. She always waited for the day that he wouldn't be there and she would have to take over again, for the day that she would be forced to be on her own.

' _It already happened._ _Here I am, on my own.'_

Hugging her knees she placed her forehead on top of them and breathed shallow breaths.

She wanted out. She wanted her mom. She wanted her brother. She wanted her dad. She wanted to go home, to her home, in the future where her father was more careful and didn't have anything to prove or discover about himself. The person in 2009, that wasn't her dad. He was still too immature to be her dad. He was too reckless. She could have lost him…again.

She began to shake her head. ' _I can't lose him. I can't. I can't bear that again. Not here and not in the future. I just can't.'_

Unexpectedly, she felt someone hug her from behind. It was the hug that always made her feel better. **It was him.** She knew that feeling anywhere. Unable to keep her emotions in check and be strong she turned around and buried her face into his soaked shirt.

There, she broke down.

"Don't leave me, okay?" She cried. "Don't leave me. I need you. Don't leave me."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't say you're sorry." She said lifting her head. She sniffed back and looked straight into his eyes. "Say that you'll be more careful."

"I'll be more careful." He promised.

She gave him a slight grin. That was all she needed to hear. Once she composed herself enough she pulled back from him and punched him in the shoulder.

"That's for not having a plan. I mean, that's rule number two. Always have a plan."

He sighed and began, "Really, I'm-"

She cut him off, "You should just get ' _I'm sorry'_ and ' _This is all my fault'_ tattooed on your chest and flash it every so often. It'll save a lot of air." She smirked at him, trying to put all of her emotions back into the bottle.

She may not have been at a hundred percent yet but she wouldn't let him know that. It was embarrassing enough crying in front of him. She was strong, she was brave and she wasn't going to let something from the past break her down. She needed to channel all of that emotion back to her main focus.

"Are you okay?" He asked as the rain started to stop.

She slowly nodded. "You just really scared me back there and I haven't been that scared in a long time. So, yeah, thank you for that."

"I'm…" He started then stopped.

She slightly chuckled, "You're learning."

"So, are you really okay?"

"All my abandonment fears are now in check."

Clark stared at her a bit more.

"Look, we can do the whole 'are you okay/ are you sure you're okay' thing all night. But _I_ think that this time could be better spent getting to the hospital since Lois is there waiting. If she doesn't see you at that hospital you know that you'll pay for it." She said.

"True."

Callie went to move past him, but he stopped her.

"What?" She asked.

"I just want to say that you did really well in there."

' _Do not get emotional. I repeat do not get emotional.'_ She commanded herself.

"Thanks. You weren't half bad either; you know when you weren't almost hitting me with falling objects."

"That was to stop Metallo." He insisted.

"Which was effective. So, good job." She said, patting him on the chest and moving past him.

"Where did you learn to shoot an arrow like that?" He asked, catching up to her.

"What can I say? I was fascinated by the old school Power Rangers as a kid. Pink Ranger rules, man." She smirked as they walked down the street together.

~\~

Lois paced back and forth in her hospital gown and glanced at the clock above the door.

"What is the doctor on a coffee break or something?" She said, angrily.

She tugged on her gown desperately wanting to get out of it. She was growing tired of hospitals. She knew the procedure when they brought her in. Some nurse would take her into a room and ask her how she was feeling, hook her up to these different machines, they would proceed to roll her around the hospital to all different tests and then back to her room where she would wait endlessly to be released.

' _And of course Smallville has failed to show.'_

Letting out an annoyed sigh, she sat on the bed and tapped her fingers on her thighs. The door then opened and Lois perked up.

' _Please be the doctor!'_ She thought.

Instead she saw Clark peek his head in. "Hey."

"It's about time you got here, Smallville. Had to stop and feed Shelby on the way?"

"Sorry, that was my fault." She heard another voice say and then saw Callie behind Clark. "I sort got a little freaked out after everything happened and Clark was just putting 'Humpty Dumpty' back together again."

"So much for your nice day at The Planet, huh…" Lois commented.

"Well, I would exchange nice for…exciting."

"Exciting?"

"Yeah, in the 'isn't it exciting we almost died' sense of …the…word…" she strung together awkwardly.

"Right." She smiled. "I'm sure your parents are going to love to hear about this. Have you talked to them recently?" Lois asked.

Callie rarely said anything about her parents. The only thing she could deduct was that she missed them deeply.

"Talk to them every day." She said. "But I think I'll keep this _incident_ out of the conversation."

Bringing her mind back to the Metallo incident she turned to Clark and asked, "Any word on Corben?"

Clark shook his head. "He seems to have disappeared."

A shiver ran up her spine to think that Corben or Metallo or whatever he called himself could still be out there somewhere.

"Was he charged with the robbery?"

Clark nodded.

"And he would have gotten away with that too, if it weren't for us meddling kids." Callie said.

Clark and Lois snapped their heads to her. She shrugged her shoulders, "Sorry, I just always wanted to say that."

Lois eyed Callie's features for a moment. She distinctly remembered Corben jamming her face into a desk and now, there wasn't a scratch on it.

"Your face is looking better."

Callie brought her hand up to her face and looked back at her. "The magic of the Clinique counter. Cover-up does actually _cover-up_."

It sounded plausible. She'd be lying if she hadn't used massive amounts of cover-up after she'd been in scrapes before. It did always seem to work, but something about it seemed a little off.

' _Stop it, Lois. You're overtired. Just let it go, it's nothing.'_

Turning her attention to Clark instead she remarked, "How come you aren't locked up in some hospital room like I am?"

"They checked me at the scene. I was fine."

" _Lucky_ …"

The door then opened and the doctor popped in holding her chart and lifting the pages to skim through it.

"Good news Miss Lane. All your test results came out normal and your release papers have been drawn up."

"Great. I'm so ready to blow this joint."

"Just take it easy, Miss Lane."

Lois nodded emphatically just wanting the doctor to leave so she could grab her things and be out of there.

"We'll let you get your stuff together." Clark said as he pulled Callie behind him and left the room.

Lois dove under the bed and grabbed the plastic bag the nurse had stuffed her belongings into. She was utterly thrilled to be free. She considered asking if there was some type of program or punch card, where if you've managed to be at the hospital 'x' amount of times you got the next visit free.

Pulling out her clothes she noticed how dirty they were and how some portions were torn. Shrugging her shoulders she put them on and for once looked forward to getting away from Metropolis for the night. Sure, she missed her apartment _**very**_ much, but tonight was different.

' _I have Clark to protect me…'_ she thought.

Her eyes bulged at the realization of her thought.

' _What about the Blur?'_ A voice asked in her head.

"Come on, Lois. If you stop to dwell on this stuff then you'll end up staying here the entire night. Now, get your head in the game. You're free of this place so let's go." She coached herself.

Letting out a breath she was finally ready to leave.

~\~

"How is she?" Chloe asked as she walked down the hallway with a cup of coffee in her hand.

"She's fine. The doctor just released her so she's getting changed." Clark said, looking back at the door longingly.

Callie noticed his actions. She could tell how worried he was for Lois, but he was still trying not to show it. Not wanting to think anymore she let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes. The only thing she wanted on her mind was sleep.

"You mind if I just head back to the truck? I'm kind of tired." She asked him.

Clark dug his hand into his pocket, pulled out the keys, and handed them to her.

"We'll be right out." He said.

The tone in which he said it was different than any other she had heard him use before in this time. He was assuring her that he'd be right there, right behind her, that she wouldn't be alone.

Taking the keys she gave him a quick smile. ' _Now that's the guy I know.'_ She thought.

As Callie started for the exit Chloe began to follow her.

"Callie, wait up." She said.

Callie stopped and turned around.

"Are you okay? I sort of stumbled upon the back end of your _discussion_ with Clark back at the warehouse."

"Oh…you did…"

' _Crap. What exactly did she hear? No, not hear, interpret. What did she interpret it as?'_

"Yeah so, if you need to talk about something, I'm here. I know how easy it is for," she looked around and whispered, " _Kents_ , to bottle things up. I know it must have been difficult to witness all that. I mean if anything had happened to either of them your whole existence could have been jeopardized."

Callie mulled over her words and looked down at her feet. She scoffed and kicked herself internally for her stupidity.

"I wasn't even thinking that." She accidently mumbled.

"You weren't?" Chloe asked confused.

Callie's eyes rapidly looked back up to Chloe's and she quickly tried to cover up her slip of the tongue.

"No, I mean…of course I was. I'm just… _really_ tired right now. My mind isn't at full processing mode. Nothing like a good desk to the face followed by an explosive fight to make you want to collapse in bed."

"Okay." Chloe said, obviously unconvinced by her statement. "But if you need anything…"

"I know." Callie said, gripping the keys in her hand tightly.

Finally getting out of the building, she let out an enormous deep breath. Heading to the truck she laughed in her head at Chloe's offer. She could never tell her. She wished she could. She wanted to tell all of them all kinds of things. One particular detail crept into her thoughts, but she swatted it away.

"I just love being a walking and talking spoiler'" she mumbled to herself as she finally reached the vehicle.

She knew the fate of so many different people, but she was powerless to intervene. Destiny had to run its course. If she told Chloe, or Clark especially, about what would happen in the future with Doomsday then the events of that day might never happen. While that may have sounded good at first, in the end she knew it wouldn't be. That dark day changed her life in many ways, but it shaped her into the person she was, into who they all were. Whether it was 2009 or 2020, she realized.

"The lessons we learn from pain are the ones that make us the strongest." She said placing the key in the lock and opening the driver's side door.

What she had gone through had made her tough, it had given her an edge to her childhood innocence, and the pain she felt from that moment in time gave her strength. No, she couldn't say anything because once the storm passes eventually the sun comes out.

Crawling into the backseat she picked up Clark's black jacket and rolled it up into a ball and placed it on the door behind the passenger's seat. She punched it a few times so it wasn't so stiff and then laid her head on it bringing her legs up onto the seat. Closing her eyes she wished the current world away.

_She was in the kitchen of her home on Sullivan Lane._

" _Grandma, what do we do now?" Callie asked, as she patted flour on the dough they had just made._

" _Well, we take these cookie cutters and press them in the dough like this," she said, demonstrating it for her._

_Callie took the cookie cutter that was in the shape of a star and pressed it into the newly flattened dough._

" _Like this?" she asked._

" _That's perfect, honey."_

_Callie smiled. She then heard the telephone ring and her grandmother went to answer it._

" _Hello?"_

_Suddenly she heard her grandmother gasp. Callie dropped the cookie cutter. Her eyes widened as she watched her grandmother._

' _Please don't let it be about Mommy.' She thought._

" _Are you sure? I mean really sure?" Her grandmother said placing her right hand over her heart. "Yeah, we're just finishing making cookies." She smiled as the person on the other line said something. "It's so good to hear your voice." There was a beat then, "No, I won't say anything I promise….Okay. Bye."_

_She hung up the phone and walked back over to the counter in the kitchen._

" _Let's put these in the oven, okay?"_

" _Is mommy okay?" Callie asked, panicked._

" _Oh, sweetie, your mom is just fine. She's actually bringing you a surprise."_

" _A surprise? Like a pony?"Callie beamed._

" _Something better." She whispered._

_Hopping off the stool Callie waited on the living room couch for what seemed like hours. Hearing the keys jingle at the front door Callie bit her bottom lip in anticipation. She watched as her mother came in first. Then she viewed someone following her in closely. Her grandmother ran up to them and hugged them tightly. Callie backed up a few steps and moved behind the arm of the couch. She crouched her body down and only lifted her head up enough for her eyes to see._

_She had been fooled before. She wasn't going to let the same thing happen to her twice. As her grandmother let him go, he and her mom walked further into the living room._

" _What are you doing behind there, munchkin?" her mother asked, smiling. "Look who Mommy found."_

_She stayed silent just staring at the man. She hesitantly moved closer to them, still being very cautious. She watched as he bent down to meet her eye to eye. She stared into his blue eyes. They were different from the eyes that had been on the imposter. Those eyes were cold…these sparkled while they looked at her. She extended her hand and brushed it against his face._

" _Daddy?"_

" _It's me."He nodded as he cupped his own hand above hers._

" _DADDY!" She cried as she threw herself at him._

_He caught her in his arms and lifted her as he stood up._

" _I missed you so much. I thought about you everyday."He said as he kissed the side of her head._

" _Daddy, where did you go?" She cried into his shoulder. "People in Metropolis said you were never coming back."_

" _I just had to get better, that's all. Now, I'm back. For good."_

" _Don't ever leave me again. Don't ever leave me."_

" _I won't leave you. I promise."_

_He rocked her in his arms and she could feel drops of water on the side of her neck from his own emotions. She clutched her other arm tightly around his neck and buried her face into him, taking in his scent._

_He was home. Her dad was home._

~\~

Lois walked with Clark to the truck. She noticed the way he was walking and looking around the parking lot. She felt like he was her bodyguard. She on the other hand was surprised that she wasn't as apprehensive. She had Clark and she now knew she had the Blur looking after her. She felt very protected.

Clark had already opened the unlocked driver side door and she waited for him to press the button to unlock her side. Her eyes moved to the back where she saw Callie already asleep.

"Looks like she has the right idea." Lois said.

"She had a long night." Clark commented.

"Didn't we all?" Lois challenged as she opened the door and got in slowly not wanting to disturb her.

He nodded as he got into the driver's seat.

Lois looked back and noticed how peaceful Callie looked sleeping on Clark's jacket. She could also spot a smile on her face.

' _At least she's having a happy dream for a change.'_

The ride to Smallville was quiet. Lois kept running through all the events in her head. From the Daily Planet to the warehouse, she had never thought her day would have turned out that way. Leaning the side of her head against the window she closed her eyes.

_Images of her being held captive shot through her mind. A picture of Corben, then of Clark, and then the arrow soaring through the air. She was reliving parts of her night all over again. She could feel the chains tightening around her wrists then feel the gust of wind. The image changed and she was outside the warehouse, flames coming from every direction._

_Then there was the figure. The figure walking out of the fire. She remembered her first thought hoping it was the Blur and not the man who had held her against her will. To her surprise it was neither. It was Clark._

' _But how did Clark make it out? How could he have survived that?' she thought._

_She felt him embrace her and she loved the feeling. Safety._

_Suddenly the images changed drastically and she was in a room with screens and technology she had never seen before._

" _We have a problem." She heard a male voice say._

_She turned around to try and match the voice to a face, but no one was there; she was alone._

" _What is it?" a female asked._

" _All the images are changing again. It's like someone has seriously messed with the timelines." A different male voice added._

" _Is Kal still there?"_

" _Yeah, but it's a bit worse than we thought."_

_The blank screens surrounding her turned on. There was a picture of a man she'd never seen before, but she could tell that just by looking that he wasn't friendly._

" _Zod." The female said._

' _What the hell is a Zod?' Lois thought._

" _Prepare to send her back. We have to send Lois Lane back to her rightful time. She's vital in making Kal the man he needs to be. Without her there will be no timeline. Everyone ready?"_

_Lois felt a hand on her forehead and all the voices became muffled again and started to disappear, but only one thing remained…the face on the screen._

Feeling the car hit a bump in the road Lois jolted awake. Unable to remember much about her dream she whispered the only thing that seemed to remain,

"Zod."


	14. Chapter Thirteen : Taking Back The Roof

**Chapter Thirteen :** _**Taking Back The Roof** _

Clark gripped the steering wheel as his mind reeled from the events of the day. Once he had left Callie and Lois at the Daily Planet that previous morning he had ventured to the Fortress to have some time alone. He had spent many days there after Lois' disappearance to get away from the world, but being around Lois, and Callie, thrust him back into the world and created an avalanche of feelings. He had needed to collect his thoughts in a place where he couldn't be disturbed.

Since time was always different in the Fortress once he left and arrived back to Metropolis he noticed that he had missed a call from Chloe earlier in the day. Before he could call her back the name "Lois" had flashed on his screen and he figured that she was calling to say that she and Callie were ready to leave. To his surprise, and dismay, it had been Callie's panicked voice telling him that Lois was gone and John Corben, a.k.a. Metallo, had kidnapped her.

From being held hostage, to trying to fight Metallo despite his kryptonite infused chest, to Oliver showing up, the building exploding and Callie's emotional plea to him to be more careful, he was more exhausted than he ever thought he could be. It wasn't a physical exhaustion, but a mental one. Callie's tearful voice still rang in his head, telling him to be more careful and not to leave her.

He looked up in his mirror and looked back to see her sleeping on his jacket. She looked peaceful. He was grateful for that. In the moment she asked him not to leave her he made an internal promise that he wouldn't. For however long she was in his life she never would have to worry about being alone. He would be beside her the whole way. He was really the only thing she had in the sense of being able to be herself.

Turning to his right he watched the other person that had been consuming his thoughts as of late. In classic Lois style she had interrupted his life when he least expected her. He had looked everywhere for her and in one brief moment she had appeared out of nowhere and catapulted herself back into his atmosphere. He thought he had given up being Clark Kent, but with one look at her he couldn't pull away from that life.

Since his first meeting with John Corben he was jealous that he was the one sitting at his old desk. He was envious of the guy being able to work with Lois. But then seeing Corben in villainous glory, he went through torture watching Lois tied up and in Metallo's grasp. When Metallo kissed her he wanted nothing more than to break free and rip the guy's head off. He didn't want him anywhere near her. The emotion, the rage he had felt, it had sent a spark through him. It had set his soul on fire.

' _No, not 'it','_ he thought, ' _She,'_ he corrected.

With his eyes back on the road he noticed how close they were to getting toward the house. Turning onto a dirt road he decided to take a shortcut so the girls wouldn't have to endure sleeping in odd positions in the car for much longer. Hitting a bump he saw Lois jolt awake. She whispered something, but she whispered it so fast that he hadn't been able to focus on what it was.

"You say something, Lois?" He asked.

She turned to him with a weird look on her face, however she soon masked it and shook her head 'no'. "I'm fine. I was just dreaming that's all."

"Anything good?" He smirked.

She leaned back into the seat and placed her head on the head rest. "I was back in my cozy apartment," she sighed.

The lines of his mouth reversed their upward trajectory, falling into a frown. Of course she wanted to go back home. He knew that, but he also knew that he liked having her in the house. He couldn't pinpoint why exactly, or maybe didn't want to, he just liked her there. He liked the atmosphere that she created. He liked the person he was when she was around. He liked-her.

Pulling into the driveway he pulled his car next to Lois'. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Callie was still sound asleep. Getting out of the driver's seat he closed his door and opened up the back. Slowly, he gently placed Callie in his arms and carried her into the house. Lois kept the door open for him as he maneuvered his way in and up the stairs. He wasn't going to disrupt her sleep by placing her on the couch. He would sleep there for the night.

Placing her tenderly on the bed in his room, he pulled the red and blue quilt over her and watched as she grabbed the pillow and buried her face into it. Brushing some of the hair away from her face he kissed the top of her forehead.

"Sweet dreams," he whispered.

He watched as Callie grinned and took a deep breath, visibly very relaxed.

As he turned back to the doorway he saw that Lois was standing there watching him.

"You're really sweet with her." She said in awe.

"Yeah?" He smiled.

"Don't think too much of it, Smallville. I'm just remarking that you seem to have a sweet nature toward her, that's all." She said as she whipped around and left the doorway.

Clark followed her down the stairs and watched as she pulled open the fridge and brought out the milk and then proceeded to pull down a bowl and cereal off the shelf.

"Planning on staying up?" He asked.

"I have a deadline to meet."

"What's the story?" he asked, interested.

Lois beamed as she sighed, "The Blur."

"The Blur?" He asked nervously. "What about him?"

"He saved me tonight, Clark. The man called me the night Doomsday struck and told me that he was ' _keeping an eye on me'_ and then tonight what does he do? He saves me. Not only that, but he saved you, too." She said as she moved past him to get the bag she had brought in with her stuff.

"He saved me?" He asked.

"How else do you think you made it out of an explosion?"

" _Right_."

' _She thinks Callie was me.'_ He thought.

"Isn't he great, though?" She said, pulling out her laptop.

" _I guess_ …"

What else was he supposed to say? It was weird talking about himself as if the Blur were a separate person. Though, on the other hand, it was interesting to find out how Lois felt about the other side of him. His whole life people had accepted him the image of Clark Kent he portrayed first. Learning about his abilities always came later, usually unintended and never freely his choice. No one had ever accepted his Kyrptonian self first, but it seemed as though Lois was. It was comforting to know that someone could accept him that way and not fear him. She believed in him.

"Well, no matter what you think I'm going to publicly tell the Blur that all the saving he does is not in vain. The world is a better place with someone like him around."

"You think?"

Lois smiled. "I know. Without him, I'd be ash right now." She said as turned to her laptop and intensely typed.

"Well, I think he's lucky to have someone who believes in him so much."

"It's not just me, Clark. Metropolis believes in him. I just hope that he still believes in himself…" She trailed off.

The comment piqued his interest even more. "What do you mean?"

"The guy is known for wearing red and blue, right? Now suddenly all I can find are accounts of a blur that is all black. I just hope that whatever happened with Doomsday didn't make him lose hope or anything."

"Maybe it did." He said, almost confirming that her suspicions were correct. It was scary how much she could know about him and yet not know it was actually him. It made him want to come out and tell her that he was 'The Blur', but he knew he couldn't.

"Hence why I am writing this." She said, pointing to her screen. "I would have had it done had I not been preoccupied with _Mr. Metallica_ tonight. Though, I must say that work tomorrow will sure be pleasurable with an empty desk across from me. I just wonder how long till the next bumbling reporter comes along."

' _Empty desk…'_ he thought. An idea came to him as he thought about that longer and longer.

"I'm sure it won't be that bad." He said trying to comfort her as a plan unfolded in his head.

"We'll see." She said focused on her laptop.

"Yeah, we will." He said softly to himself, a massive grin forming on his face.

*/*

Hours later Lois had finished her article as Clark tried to rest on the couch. He knew he wouldn't be able to because of the things Lois had said about his other persona, as well as, a plan unraveling in his head. After finishing, Lois retreated back up the stairs to get whatever sleep she could. While she was asleep he took a shower and quietly went into his room while Callie still slept. He opened his closet and pulled out a few key items that he knew he'd need for the day.

Heading out of his room he heard the groaning from Lois' room as the rooster began to sound. A grin came upon his face hearing it. She was pissed and it amused him. That was one of the many things he had missed; The lightness he felt when he was around her.

Heading down the stairs he put the coffee on and quickly changed, but his mind returned to thoughts of Lois. Glancing back up the stairs he heard her shuffle down the hallway and into the bathroom. Something inside him urged him to go up there. Obeying the feeling, he trekked back up the stairs and stood by the door.

His mind flashed back to when Lois had first arrived in Smallville investigating Chloe's supposed death. They had been at the remains of the safe house and then hurried back to the farmhouse all muddied as they were chased by F.B.I. agents. He had been taking a shower when she barged in knowing full well that he was in there.

Clark smirked at the thought. Knowing that Lois was in there taking a shower, Clark opened the door and went inside.

"You plan on taking a marathon shower, Lois?" He asked.

The sound of his voice startled her as he heard her shift abruptly in the water when she became conscious of his presence.

Pulling the curtain back and popping her head out she asked, "Smallville, what do you think you're doing?"

Not looking at her, he stood in front of the sink and mirror and pulled out his things. He was going to do his normal morning routine and mess with her in the process.

"You're not the only one who has to get ready in the morning."

"Yeah, but I'm the only one who currently has a job. Though, someone certainly does have their big boy clothes on. Is it laundry day? Is _Clarkie_ clean out of plaid?"

"I actually have a job interview this morning." Clark said, grabbing his cologne and putting some on.

"Oh. Wow." Lois said a little taken aback and retreating back into the shower. "You could have at least waited for me to get out." He picked up defensiveness and hurt in her tone.

"Wasn't sure how long you'd take, besides it's not like there's anything I haven't seen before."

Clark quickly squeezed his eyes shut and cursed himself for letting those words escape his lips. He had said it to lighten the mood but he knew it was only going to come back to bite him now.

"So, you still think about it, huh?" She asked.

Clark felt his cheeks heat up as he gripped the sides of the sink. He gripped the porcelain so hard he thought it would break off in his hands.

He then heard the shower shut off and the water splash as Lois got out of the tub. He wasn't going to look at her but once he felt her at his side he couldn't help but turn to his left and see her. Her hair was soaked as it landed on both sides of her shoulders and she was wrapped in just a towel.

Clark swallowed back as his eyes scanned her whole body.

"What's the matter, Smallville? I thought you saw all this before," she smirked. "Can I-?" She asked, indicating she needed to get something his body was blocking.

Clark cleared his throat as he moved away and let her take his place. Lois grabbed her hair brush and put it through her hair with one hand as her other held her towel closed. What he had thought and started as a fun idea was quickly being turned against him.

Lois turned and looked back at him, "What?"

"Nothing."

She smirked and turned back to the mirror. "Where's the job interview?"

"Metropolis."

"Good, you can drive me to work then."

"Yeah, I can," he said, still mesmerized by her. He watched every stroke the brush made in her hair and smelled the aroma of the shampoo. He had gone in there to make her crazy and she managed to turn the tables on him. Typical.

' _Get it together, Clark.'_ He thought.

"Okay, then." She said putting her brush down next to the sink. Turning away from him she went and opened the door. When she did so they were both surprised as Callie walked by. Callie, startled by the opening of the door stood in shock as she looked from Lois, still only wearing her towel, then to him.

" _Wow_ , we **really** have to stop meeting like this." Callie said.

Clark's eyes widened. "Uh…we weren't…" he tried to say as he shook his head at the situation.

"Excuse me." Lois said as she slipped through and passed between him and Callie and went to her room.

"I swear it's not what you think." Clark said.

"Yeah, of course. You guys were just taking a shower." Callie said nonchalantly.

"No! Not me, she was… _not me_."

Callie smiled at his reaction. She was just like Lois, getting a kick at seeing him squirm.

"Okay." She said patting him on the shoulder.

Her facial expression then changed as she took a step back.

"What?" he asked looking down at his clothes.

"Blue shirt, red tie." She breathed out in awe.

"What about it?"

He could see something in her eyes, but he couldn't quite place what it was. She stared at it a bit and then looked back up to his face.

"It suits you."

"Thanks."

"Any particular reason for it? I doubt it's your salute to the red white and blue today." She said heading toward the stairs.

He followed her into the kitchen where she made her way for the coffee.

"I actually have a prospective job interview this morning."

She paused and glanced up at him. "Really? So you're heading back into the big city, huh?"

"I realized that Clark Kent is still alive and well and in that realization he also needs a job."

"Well, good for Clark Kent. I'm proud that he realized he's alive." She smiled.

He nodded, "Me, too."

She brought the mug to her lips and drank her coffee as she asked, "You tell Lois, yet?"

"She knows."

"I'm sure that will be a pleasant car ride for you."

Clark noticed that she didn't mention her coming with them.

"You're not coming with us?"

"After yesterday? I think I'd rather just stick around here for the morning and recoup. I'll head to Metropolis later though. We can meet up."

Clark was a little worried. He promised himself that he wouldn't let her be alone, but if it was what she was requesting, how could he deny her that?

"Are you sure? You don't have to be alone here."

"Clark, I know I sort of _broke down_ last night, but I'm okay now. Scouts honor." She said raising her index, middle, and ring fingers in the air pressed together. "I _can_ be alone for a little while. It was those times where you would just dash off and not come back that bothered me."

"That's over now." He assured her.

She eyed his shirt again. "Oh, I already knew that."

The sound of feet on the stairs made them both turn around.

"Hey," Lois said as she dove for the coffee pot and poured the liquid into her travel cup.

Clark couldn't help but just watch her. Her hair was pulled back at sides and the rest cascaded on her shoulders over her pink blouse. She grabbed her bag, but then quickly turned back around to grab a bunch of papers stapled together on the side table.

"You ready to hit the road, Clark?" She asked in a hurry.

"Ready when you are."

She smiled and headed for the door. "See you later, Callie," she waved as she exited outside.

Clark followed, but turned around. "Now, you're sure you don't want to come with us?" He asked one last time before he closed the door.

"I think I'll get into less trouble if I stay here. But good luck on that interview. I know you'll get the job," she winked.

With a grin he nodded as he closed the door and headed for the truck.

~\~

Callie silently crouched behind the counter in the kitchen. She could hear him coming. Holding her breath she hoped that he would pass right by. Inching her head out a bit she could see his form around the corner. She quickly moved back and waited. Then she heard his feet right beside where she was hiding. She watched as one hairy foot came into view, then another, then another, and then another.

_Woof!_

Callie smiled as Shelby came up to her and licked her face.

"You're really good at this game. You keep finding me, Shelbs." She said as she massaged behind his ears.

' _Okay, this is pretty sad. Here I am playing hide and seek with a dog…'_ she thought.

Getting up from her position she plopped over on the couch with her arms crossed against her chest. She contemplated what her next move should be. Clark and Lois had left together and even though Clark offered for her to come with them she hadn't been in the mood to ride so long in the car. Sometimes it was nice, other times it was so much easier to super-speed or fly in mere seconds.

She wanted to do something constructive with her morning so she thought about the threats that were waiting for her. After the whole debacle with Metallo the risk of a Zod altercation seemed that much closer. She could have sworn she heard his name in her dreams somehow but she had just brushed it off. With nothing else to do around the farm, however, she couldn't help but think about it.

Getting up she decided that she wasn't going to mope around. Opening the door to the outside she took a moment to bask in the sun and feel the rays reenergize her body. The warmth made her feel strong and it was just what she needed. Taking to the sky she flew over Smallville and headed to Metropolis where she had Watchtower in her sights. Landing outside the door she opened it up and called for Chloe.

"Chloe actually stepped out for a second." A male voice said.

She turned to see Oliver coming down the stairs. After everything that had happened with Metallo, she had gotten Oliver out of the building but was sidetracked with her trip down memory lane and recovering. Oliver had been an afterthought.

"How are you?" She asked.

"Aside from this nagging pain I have in my leg still, I'm fine." He said referring to the leg she had kicked the day before.

"Sorry about that." She apologized.

"No, I'm glad you did it. I haven't been in the best state of mind lately."

"So, I could tell by your bottle collection."

"Yeah, but I think I'm done with that. When I saw you taking my gear something in my head just kind of fell into place. You were determined to help people in need at whatever cost. It reminded me of how I used to be."

"You can get that back again, you know. _I think_ …we all get off track in our lives. After something traumatic we look for change and it's hard to get back to the person you used to be. We just have to take what we learned from the experience and implement in our lives, but not drastically change who we are. If you change too much you'll just end up even more lost. You just have to find the one thing that will lead you home and for you I think that means helping people."

"Helping people…" he repeated. "You kind of sounded like Clark when you said all that."

Callie smiled inwardly at that comment.

"Good. Maybe if you start to take the advice you and he can talk again soon. Whatever happened between you two I know that if you just lay all your cards on the table and straighten it out, you can get back to the way things used to be."

Oliver frowned. "It might be a little bit harder than that. I sort of stabbed him in the back… and by 'stabbed him in the back' I mean I shot him with a kryptonite arrow. Not exactly the type of situation you rebuild a friendship on."

" _Okay_ … I didn't know that."

' _Doomsday really messed with everyone's mind…'_ she thought.

"Exactly," he said with guilt.

"What you did was _wrong_ and could have been handled better, but I still think you two should talk."

"Why are you so keen on having us be ' _best buds'_?"

"Why are you so keen on avoiding it?"

"Because I feel he won't trust me."

"Let him decide that."

"You're really stubborn, you know that?"

"You're not the first to tell me that. My parents are stubborn people. I blame them." She smiled.

It was true. The stubbornness that came from her father and the stubbornness that came from her mother were conjoined in her. She rarely budged on anything which was good and bad. She looked to the positive aspect of it…she usually always got her way.

"After everything that went on yesterday, I just want to say thank you. And if I'm going to be helping people again who better to start with than you." Oliver said changing the subject from the relationship between him and Clark.

Callie stared at him confused as to what he meant.

"You saved my life back in that warehouse. I owe you one." He explained.

Callie was about to say that he didn't owe her anything but closed her mouth. She wanted to be polite and brush it off, though in her time of need she couldn't pass up an opportunity to get the one thing she needed most of all.

"Actually, I think I might know of a way to call it even."

"Name it."

Callie smiled wide. "I need you to get in touch with a woman named Zatanna."

Oliver arched an eyebrow. "How do you know about Zatanna? Are you the reason Chloe left me a message about her?"

"Uh… yes, I am. Chloe told me about her and I think she's the perfect assistance that I need."

"Are you sure you want to mess with her hocus pocus? It's pretty dangerous territory."

"She's my only shot right now." She said, her eyes pleading with him.

He bit the inside of his cheek and nodded, "I'll make the call."

"Thank you."

"Can I ask what it is you need her for?"

"It's personal."

"Okay," he said, not pushing it and heading toward the door, "when I hear something I'll let you know. Just _be careful_ ," he urged as he exited and greeted Chloe on her way in.

"Hey Callie, what brings you here?" Chloe asked, coming through the door with some bags in her hand.

"After last night, I've been thinking about the whole Zod thing."

"You mean the picture from the Luthor Mansion?" she questioned.

"Yeah, and I don't think we should wait on this. Metallo came out of left field and we barely made it out of that one. I don't want the same thing to happen with Zod."

Setting the bags down, she inquired, "What do you propose we do?"

"Just how good are those satellites that got the image in the first place? Zoom wise?"

"Good."

"Well, I want to zoom in on the mansion and see what everyone's been up to over there."

"Okay, you want to break the law and infringe on privacy because you think Zod is there?"

"It's where the sign was. It seems the most obvious place to look first." She said hopping up on one of the ledges on the wall.

"And if we find him?"

"Then we go from there."

' _And hopefully not die.'_ She thought.

Even though she had Oliver on Zatanna's trail there was no way to know when she'd show up. If Zod was around, the least she could do was help stop him. She knew from stories how bad the guy was. If she was going to be stuck in the past then she was going to help in whatever way she could. She felt that she had to.

"I'll look into it." Chloe said.

"Great, thanks." Callie said hopping of the ledge she was sitting on.

"Callie?"

"Yeah?"

"I have some stuff for you. First, I have your file right here, it's almost done but the only thing I'm missing is a photo. Second, I have some clothes for you."

"Thanks, I was kind of running low on things from the _Kara Collection,"_ Callie said. She then grabbed the file and flipped through it, "Very thorough."

"It has to be." Chloe said as she picked up the camera. "Now, say cheese."

"Cheese." Callie said, smiling.

The flash went off and Chloe checked the screen. "Very good."

"Wait. Take another one. And in this one I'm going to _smile with my eyes_ …" Callie said pouting her lips like a model.

"How very Tyra of you." Chloe chuckled as she aimed the camera and took the picture.

Callie laughed a bit. She couldn't be all work and no play. There was work to be done, of course, but she also couldn't pass up chances to smile and laugh. Doing that got her through all the hardships and she knew they weren't over, not by a long shot.

"So, is everything going okay?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, actually, everything is going great. Clark was sporting a blue shirt and red tie ensemble this morning."

Chloe's head snapped up. "Wow."

"Yup, it's a big leap for him… no pun intended."

"I'm happy that he seems to be becoming ' _Clark_ ' again."

"Yeah, his facial expressions alone are a big change to when I first met him here. I mean just the way he was this morning and his face when I caught him and Lois in the bathroom…"

"Um, excuse me? Clark and Lois _where?_ "

"Oh, well, it was completely innocent… _I think_ … god, I hope…" She said cringing on the inside. She was happy that they were spending time together, but doing what, she didn't want to know. She continued, "Well at least that's how I'm choosing to see it. Anyway, back on point, his demeanor has changed. He seems…content and the both of them were bantering back and forth as usual. I think he's finally coming around, not that I had any doubts, of course."

"Oh, of course." Chloe smiled. "Any particular reason for the dress shirt and tie?"

"He said he had a job interview."

"Job interview where?"

"He didn't say, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to hypothesize where."

~\~

Lois stared into the copy room. Things were still a mess from the night before and caution tape was across the entryway.

' _I should still feel safe here, right?'_

Letting out a breath she shuffled through the papers in her hands. She had presented her editorial first thing when she arrived at work. Her editor was impressed with it and was running it for the paper tomorrow. She was flustered with the article that she had almost forgotten the hard copy before leaving the house. She had wanted to have Clark read it, but for some reason she wanted him to wait with everyone else.

Her mind then went back to thinking of Clark.

' _I guess he really is gone now. Somehow I thought I'd be stuck with him forever. Guess not…'_ she thought sadly.

Their little morning rendezvous in the bathroom startled her at first, but she remembered doing it to him once before when she had first arrived in Smallville. When he told her that he had a job interview somewhere she had been stunned. She guessed that she never really thought that Clark would be able to stay away from the Daily Planet that long and venture anywhere else.

' _Who are you kidding? You thought he wouldn't be able to stay away from you that long.'_

She hated that he made her feel that way. It was never going to get anywhere. She knew that. The teasing and the banter was just _their way_ of communicating with each other. It was a bit embarrassing to be caught by Callie, not that they were doing anything, but the look of things didn't help the situation. She had scurried out of there as fast as she could and when she left the house she couldn't really face Callie.

' _Now she probably definitely thinks there is something going on between me and him.'_ She thought. ' _Oh well, time to just move on, Lane.'_

Walking back into the bullpen and she noticed that someone was in the chair across from her desk.

"Great." She mumbled under breath. ' _Why can't they just keep it empty?'_

She made her way to her desk and threw the papers she had in her hand down on her keyboard.

"I guess you're the new guy." She said, ready to intimidate the 'fresh meat'.

The chair squeaked as it whipped around and she was surprised by the familiar face she saw.

"I guess you could say that."

A smile tugged on Lois' lips, but she hid it as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"I thought you had a job interview, Smallville."

He smiled, "I did. **Here.** "

"Here? Do you mean that-?" She said trying to keep her excitement in check.

"I guess we're together again, Lane."

She slowly sat down in her chair and moved the papers she had just placed down. She wanted to keep cool, but on the inside she was going insane…in a good way.

"Well, I guess it could be worse," she said playfully, shrugging her shoulders. "The powers that be could have upgraded me from crazy metal-skinned stalker to a guy who wants to eat my brains or something." Taking a beat, she said sincerely, "It's good to have to have you back, Clark."

"It's good to be _**home**_." He smiled.

His smile made her catch her breath and she matched his smile with her own. She could now honestly say that since her disappearance she was glad to be back at work and she didn't have to worry about _safety_. With Clark across from her, she knew that she could deal with anything.

~\~

Clark straightened some of the things on his desk and took in his environment. He truly was home. He didn't have to get used to anything. In all honesty it was like he had never left. Though he did have to admit that when he encountered different people around they all still had the notion in their heads that he and Lois were a couple and his return was based on her, which wasn't totally off base except for the part of them being a couple. It didn't bother him. That was the least of his worries at the office.

Thinking back to earlier in the morning, he had dropped Lois off and he doubled back to the Planet after he parked the car. He had walked up to Tess Mercer's office and felt a burst of confidence release within himself. He wanted his job back, yet the nagging feeling of Tess' involvement in what happened with Corben won instead. He wanted to know if she was responsible for any of it.

"Clark. I'm surprised to see you here. Is there something you need?" She asked leaning back in the chair.

"I wanted to know what you knew about John Corben."

"The only thing I knew was that he could write, which is why he had a job here."

"No criminal background check was made on him?"

"If human resources failed to get something to me, that's not my fault." She defended.

"And pairing him with Lois? That was a coincidence?"

"What are you getting at, Clark? That I purposely partnered up Lois and John hoping that he would kidnap her? I hoped that you would think better of me."

Clark scoffed. "I'm not sure what to think."

"That hurts a little, Clark, but I understand. After everything that's happened you still feel the need to look after everyone. I applaud that in you." Pulling out a pile of papers she sorted through them and pulled out something and slid it across her desk to Clark.

Clark picked it up and glanced at it.

"I assume that's why you came here." She said.

Clark looked down at his press pass.

"If you want your old desk back, it's yours."

Clark glanced back down at the pass again. It was why he was there and it was what he wanted. Why was he so hesitant all of a sudden?

"So what will it be, Clark?"

"I have to think about it."

"Don't think too long."

Clark had nodded and left confused on what to do next. He had gotten into the elevator and headed to the basement. When the doors had opened he watched Lois work across his empty desk. The sudden urge to reclaim the desk came over him. Then that was that. He walked back into the elevator and pressed the button for the floor of Human Resources. That was his desk and nobody was going to sit in that seat unless it was him.

And then there he was, sitting in his rightful place. If anything suspicious was going down he was going to figure out what it was. He knew Tess was involved and he was going to do what any other reporter would do in his place: investigate.

~\~

Lois joyfully held the latest edition of the Daily Planet. The paper would go out tomorrow but she had one of the first copies in her hand, a copy that held one of her most prized articles: "Why the World Needs the Red Blue Blur".

She glanced at it again and smiled. She bit her lip as an idea danced in her head. She quickly grabbed another copy and went over to her desk and grabbed her bag.

"Hey, where are you going?" Clark asked.

"Oh, I'm just heading out. I'll be right back."

Heading up the stairs she went out onto the sidewalk and down a familiar route. She ended up on 4th and Main where a phone booth stood on the corner. Taking a deep breath she walked over to it.

' _Why am I so nervous? It's not like he's here right now. Or is he?'_ she wondered.

She thought she could feel something watching her, but it wasn't in a creepy, Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me" sort of way. Taking a chance she placed the article on the ground under the phone. She had no way to actually contact the Blur, but she felt strangely if she left it in that spot he would get it somehow.

Taking one last glance around she smiled. As she began to walk away a gust of wind blew by her and her hair swept across her face. Quickly turning back to the phone booth she noticed the newspaper was gone.

' _I hope you like it.'_ She thought as she glanced up to the sky and started to walk back to the Daily Planet.

~\~

Callie swiveled in Lois' chair, making sure to make it squeak. She watched Clark read the paper, the title reading "Why the World Needs the Red Blue Blur". She was proud of herself that she had encouraged Lois to write an incredible story displaying all the qualities of the Red Blue Blur and how amazing he was. She could tell that Clark was very much affected as he scanned the article for the umpteenth time since she had walked in. She had spent most of the day with Chloe investigating her theory on Zod when Chloe got a call from Lois telling her that, " _Lassie came home_ ".

Callie had known it all along, though. Of course in the future her parents worked at the Planet, but when she had first found out that Clark had quit his job she had been thrown for a loop. However, when Lois came back she knew it would only be a matter of time before he gravitated back to her. She always knew that the both of them needed to be by each other. They created some type of balance for each other and whenever they were apart for great deals of time they were off course. However, even when those rare occurrences happened they always found a way to crash right back into each other. That's why she knew if Lois was around Clark, the Clark she knew would eventually emerge.

The sound of Clark scoffing at whatever sentence he was reading broke her out of her trance. She watched as he shook his head as he finished reading it and folded the paper up. She continued to squeak in the chair because knew the squeaking usually bothered him, but he had been so immersed in the article she wasn't sure if he had even noticed that she was doing it.

"You know, a wise person once said, 'You know you're in love when you're jealous of _yourself_ '." She smirked.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Oh come on. The way you read that paper, _huffing_ and _puffing_. You're jealous of the words that Lois used to describe your… _better half_." She said, widening her eyes at him.

"You're crazy and where did you hear that anyway?" he asked typing at his computer.

"Someone named Cyclonekat online. By the way, what's _SuperheroSite_?"

" _SuperheroSite_?" Clark questioned, nervously.

"Yeah, found it in Lois' bookmarks." Callie said, smirking and then winked at him as she moved from Lois' desk.

"Where are you heading off to?"

"Back to Watchtower. Chloe and I are going to watch the fireworks from there. They're shooting them until late. I still can't believe that I've been here like a week and it's July already. _So weird_ …" She said heading toward the exit, but then turned around. "Oh and you know, if _I_ were the Red Blue Blur, I'd make sure I'd tell Lois that I read her article. Make her feel like she was able to reach me."

Clark stared at her. She knew that he knew what she was getting at. Lois needed to know that the Red Blue Blur was alive and well. Of course she had been "saved" by him, but a few more bits of evidence wouldn't hurt, especially if that evidence was the Blur himself. Clark needed to renew the faith the public had in him, the faith that Lois had in him. Callie slapped the door frame and turned to leave, listening as Clark feverishly typed away at his computer.

Lois stood on the roof as she stared at the red card that had come out of the blue envelope that she had found on her desk when she arrived back at the Planet to an empty bullpen.

**Meet me on the roof at Midnight. –RBB.**

She smiled looking at it again. The Blur was contacting her. He truly was okay; at least she hoped he was. She didn't want to be a skeptic, since she _had_ been saved and all, plus the occurrence earlier with the gust of wind and the paper going missing, but she couldn't help it. To get this on her desk, she knew that it could be someone who was messing with her, but she also recalled the first time they had their phone conversation and she had found a similar invitation.

Feeling a chill in the air, she hugged herself. She looked at her watch. _11:59_. She glanced around the roof, but she was alone. Suddenly a gust of wind blew right by her and her hair flew in her face. He arrived, she knew it. As she pulled the hair from her face she saw a figure in the shadows, standing on the ledge. She could clearly make out the red and blue of his outfit, but she couldn't see his face.

"Miss Lane." She heard his deep voice announce.

She smiled wide. She found herself speechless. Finally, getting the courage to speak all she could manage to say was, "Hi."

Even in the shadows she could see his smile. A smile that would forever be etched in her mind now.

"I read your article. It was well written."

Blushing, Lois replied saying, "Thank you. I just wanted you to realize that even after everything… the world still needs you. _I_ still need you. I was actually scared that you…well, _you know,_ what you wrote in that letter. I was afraid that something had happened to you. There weren't any sightings of a mystery man in red and blue for the last month. What happened? Where have you been?" She rambled.

' _Jeez, slow down.'_ Her mind told her.

It was silent for a few seconds, but then he replied saying, "Looking for you."

Lois noticed that her eyes had started to water as heat reached her cheeks. ' _He was looking for me?'_

"Really?" She managed to breathe out.

He then jumped down from the ledge, but his face remained in the shadows.

"Everyday… that is until I found out that you were okay. I should have known something was wrong, when you didn't show up…" he trailed off.

"You went?" She asked, surprised and flattered at the same time.

"Of course."

"I'm guessing that the whole being able to see your face is off the table now then?"

"For now." He said, giving her hope that he would one day reveal what he looked like to her.

Nodding she said, "I can wait."

Silence once again befell them. She saw him come closer to her and a chill went up her spine. She had never been this nervous about anyone before. He was the only person who made her feel this way. Scratch that, she had felt that feeling once before. It was on the dance floor at Chloe's wedding. When she and Clark had almost kissed she had felt that chill, but it had soon passed.

' _Get over it Lois. You and Smallville would never work. You know that.'_

"I want to say thank you…about last night. You saved my life in there and the life of my… _friend_." She said choosing the word carefully. "The last thing on my mind was of you saving me, but there you were."

"Like I told you, I've been keeping an eye on you."

"I'm grateful for that."

She didn't know why she was feeling so emotional, but actually being in the Blur's presence was bombarding her with all sorts of feelings. She never thought that she would get this close to him. When she arrived on the roof she half expected to find a phone waiting for her, but there he was. She wanted to be near him. There was something about him that made her want to be close to him. There was some invisible force reeling her in and she didn't want to fight it. She hardly knew him, but she knew he was there for her, watching over her, and it was something that she needed.

As the Blur inched closer she heard him say, "Close your eyes."

She wasn't one to take orders, but she obeyed him. She was beginning to wonder why he had asked her to close her eyes, but those thoughts were soon gone when she felt his mouth on hers. It was a light kiss, sweet and simple. She was stunned at first, then her body reacted and reciprocated the kiss. She moved her arms up his body and wrapped them around his neck as their kiss deepened. Lois still kept her eyes closed as she felt his warmth lean into her.

She had never felt a kiss like this before. Although, there had been one years ago that lingered deep in her brain, the one she had had in the alley with the Green Arrow impersonator that came close. It was almost as if she could feel The Blur's relief and longing for her. Then she heard fireworks. She wasn't sure if they were being set off behind in Metropolis or by the kiss. From the way she was feeling it almost certainly could have been from the latter.

After a few minutes, she felt him place his hands on her arms and slowly remove them from around his neck. She felt him pull away, but kissed her lightly one last time before she completely felt his warmth disappear.

As Lois opened her eyes slowly she saw that she was alone again. She placed her fingers on her lips, savoring the feeling. She walked over and placed her hands on the wall around the roof, watching as blue and red fireworks lit the air. Reluctantly she pushed herself from the wall and began for the exit. Walking toward the door she turned back once more and surveyed her environment. The roof was _definitely_ her new favorite place and she foresaw many more meetings like this to come…or at least she was hoping for them.

~\~

Clark quickly got back into his seat as he saw Lois approach their desks. Looking up at her he could see the dazed look on her face and the smile that she couldn't seem to get rid of.

"Everything okay?"

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah, everything is fine."

"Where were you?"

"Just getting some air."

He nodded. He noticed how she touched her lips with her index finger. She smiled again and looked up at him. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, I just need to do something real quick."

"Okay, I'll meet you outside."

Watching her leave he went into his desk and pulled out the mood ring he had stashed in there earlier. Sliding it onto his finger he watched as the color changed. Red. Pulling it back off he placed it back in his desk. He didn't need to look at the paper to know what that equaled or what he knew he was feeling. Actually, he didn't need the ring anymore, period.

He looked back up to the doorway Lois had just left through. Repeating her earlier action he curled his index finger as brushed against his lips. He had known it for a while, but kept denying it. Now, he knew it was official.

He was falling for Lois Lane.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Be Careful What You Wish For

**Chapter Fourteen:** _**Be Careful What You Wish For** _

Callie snuck into the farmhouse. She had stayed way later then she had expected, but she had popped in real quick and left a note on the fridge. She figured it was the least she could do to not make Clark worry. Closing the door slowly she clutched the bags she was carrying over her shoulder and tried not to make a sound as she tiptoed towards the stairs. The light from a lamp flicked on and she spotted Clark sitting on the couch in the living room.

"Do you know what time it is?" he asked.

' _Whoa. Déjà vu.'_ Callie thought.

"Didn't you see the note I left you?" she asked innocently. " _Because I left you a note…"_

"Yeah, I saw it," he said, holding it up. "I just wish you would have been here when we got home. I do worry you know."

"Aw." Callie said, tilting her head to the side. "You worry about me? You really are softening up."

Clark glared at her as she smiled at him. She was enjoying this.

"What?" she said defensively. Changing the subject she asked, "Anything juicy happen at work?"

She saw Clark's face start to turn crimson as he broke any eye contact, shook his head and said, "No. Nothing out of the ordinary."

' _Is he blushing?'_

"Really? You didn't take any of my advice and do something as the Blur?"

Clark got up quickly from his seat saying, "Nope."

' _Something happened. I know it.'_

Glancing down at her left side she noticed she was still clutching the bags she had. She and Chloe had been trying to decipher satellite images, but something kept getting the signal jammed. They couldn't pinpoint the interference so Callie came up with a different idea. Instead of satellite images Callie would use the manual approach. Chloe gave her a high resolution high zoom ratio camera that had been her late husband's.

" _Are you sure you want me to use this?"Callie asked._

" _Believe me; Jimmy wouldn't want this camera used for anything but this type of thing. I just want you to be careful. Stay as far away as possible. You understand?"_

" _Hey, I'm not stupid enough to go into the lion's den without a chair, okay?"_

She planned to get to the mansion while Clark and Lois were at work. She had it all planned how she'd do it in order to cover all her tracks in case she got caught for any reason.

' _Always have a plan…'_

Putting her attention back on Clark she noticed how he was sort of fidgety. His leg bounced as he sat, clearly contemplating whether or not to tell her something. He stood up and started to pace in a small line behind the couch.

"Okay, I know something is on your mind. Just spit it out." She commanded.

Placing his hands on the top of the couch he looked at her and said, "I kissed her."

"Lois? You kissed Lois? _Awww…_ " Callie beamed. "Guess those office rumors are coming true."

' _Better late than never, you dopes. Finally, things are getting on track.'_

"I didn't kiss her as Clark. I kissed her as the Blur." He clarified.

Her smile faltered. She didn't remember that happening first in the timeline of her parents' romance."Oh. _Huh_. You just kind of created a problem there, didn't you?"

"I wasn't even thinking. She had said all these things yesterday and then when I read the article—I didn't know I was going to feel that way about it. Everything just culminated up there."

"Up there?"

"The roof."

"Oh, _right_." She whispered.

' _Of course it was the roof. Oh the stories I heard about that place…'_

Putting her bags down, Callie sat down on the couch and patted for him to come back and sit next to her. "Come and sit next to Dr. Callie."

He obeyed and slouched in his seat. "I'm confused."

"Confused about what?"

"Confused about why I feel this way. Confused on why I didn't figure it out sooner." He said staring at the ground.

"Well, number one, you're blind. Just putting that out there." She gestured.

"Thanks."

"Just stating the obvious."

"That was my fear. That I was going to be blind when the person I'm meant to be with came along." He said, letting his head fall back.

"Well, the blinders are off now."

He sighed and said, "I'm falling for her."

" _Duh_."

Clark raised his head and glared at her again. "It doesn't matter. I messed it up now. Instead of Clark Kent making the first move, the Blur did it instead."

"You beat yourself to it." She glanced over at her and she just grinned at him. "Oh come on, it's funny."

"Is not."

"Well, at least you know the opponent in this game of love. You know everything about him. So what can Clark Kent offer that the Blur can't?"

"I don't know. I can't even think right now. All I know is that when I'm _The Blur_ I feel different."

"More confident." Callie stated.

Clark turned to her surprised, "Yeah."

Callie sympathized with him. She had heard stories of her mom and _Superman_. Superman exuded hope and confidence while Clark Kent seemed to always be unsure of himself. Part of it was a role, but the other part was natural. Though, he eventually found the balance between the two sides and he showed that when he was with her mom.

Seeing 2009 Clark voicing his feelings for Lois was a relief. It was also...cute. He was so nervous, not sure how to act or how Lois would react. If only she could tell him that he was one half of the greatest love story she had ever witnessed. That Clark Kent and Lois Lane were destined to fall in love, to save the world together, and to have a family together. That everything he had ever wished for, and never thought he would have, would come true.

Placing a hand on his shoulder she said, "You'll figure it out."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Trust me, _I'm from the future_."

Clark grinned at her comment. "That is true."

"Exactly. Who better to trust than the resident seer? It'll be okay. Sleep on it."

Slapping his hands on his legs Clark stood up from the couch. "Will do and… _thanks_."

"I just hope that I helped."

"You did."

"Good. Bill is in the mail. FYI, my services aren't cheap."

"No?"

" _No._ But I will accept payment in the form of pancakes in the shape of bunnies or any other barnyard animal."

Clark cocked an eyebrow at her as he started to grin at her request.

"Take it or leave it. I can always come up with something else just as ridiculous." Tapping her chin she added, "What are your thoughts on unicorns and glitter?"

"Pancakes it is." He affirmed.

"Yay!" She enthusiastically clapped.

He chuckled under his breath then said, "Good night, Callie."

"Night, Clark."

She watched as he retreated up the stairs. She then looked down at one of the bags beside her and pulled it up on the couch with her. She pulled out the camera and examined it.

"You and me have some serious work to do tomorrow."

~\~

Lois tossed and turned in the bed. Suddenly she awoke in a sweat from the same dream that she had been having since the night of Metallo's attack.

' _That face…'_ She thought.

She couldn't help but feel that the face that was haunting her was haunting her for a reason. She turned on the light on the nightstand and pulled out her notepad. She wrote down again what she experienced. She had heard somewhere that writing down dreams could help people figure out things that were trapped in their subconscious.

It still rattled her that she had been missing and had no recollection of where she had been. She would have investigated further, except life kept getting in the way and the fact that she didn't have any lead to go on also halted progress. That was until she started having the dream about ' _the face'_. She didn't know what it meant, but she had a nagging feeling she would find out soon.

Placing the notepad back on the nightstand she fell back into the bed.

"Let's think about nice things now. Okay, Lois?" She said to herself.

Smiling, she thought about her night. The kiss. **The kiss**. It had been perfect. She felt a little weird not knowing what the Blur looked like or who he truly was, but in a way she felt she already knew him. He had a gentleness that eased her in its familiarity. When he pulled her in for the kiss she could have reacted a number of ways. There had been many guys who walked away with severe injuries for even trying the same, but, with the Blur…she had wanted it as much as he had.

There he was this guy who had been searching for her and looking out for her, for how long? To her it didn't matter who he was. A meteor infected person or from the planet Mars. She still felt the butterflies in her stomach.

She wanted to see him again. She had to see him again. She had to know what it meant. Turning to her side she came face to face with a picture of a smiling Clark with his parents.

Then there was Clark. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't shake the feelings she still had for him. He was real and he was right in front of her, even though at times it seemed that he disappeared in the blink of an eye. But he always seemed to be there when she needed him the most. She still had to know what that meant, too.

"Leave it to me to fall for two guys who are unattainable in their own ways. Why does my love life have to always be so confusing?"

She glanced over and saw all her stuff strewn across the floor in the corner. She was still living out of her duffle bags. She had appeased Clark and stayed with him for almost a week. That hadn't helped either. Staying in the house with him just made her even more apprehensive. Ninety-five percent of the time it was nice being in the house with him and Callie, but the other five percent was when her mind would wonder about him. To do that in the same house as him, while he was within reach, was only spelling out trouble.

"I miss my apartment."

' _Then why don't you move back into it?'_ An inner voice asked her.

Biting the bottom of her lip she thought about it. She had stayed long enough to prove she was okay. There had been the mishap of Metallo, but things like that could happen no matter where she was. She needed to be on her own again. She decided that she was going to be a 'big girl' and go back to her own apartment.

Turning the light off she moved to her other side and fell back to sleep.

*/*

Hours later, Lois looked around the room and made sure she hadn't left anything. She had two stuffed bags and she was pretty positive that they would fit in her car.

"Ugh, my car." She said annoyed, remembering her car hadn't started up the other day.

She could only hope that when she went to start it that morning that it would miraculously work. Grabbing one of the bags she dragged it out of the room. Walking down the stairs backwards, the bag made a 'thud' down each step.

"What's going on?" Clark asked.

She turned to see Clark and Callie sitting at the island in the kitchen. Clark was dressed and ready for work already and there were oddly shaped pancakes on the table.

"I decided that I'm moving out."

Callie and Clark made eye contact with each other and she thought she saw a sudden sadness come over both their faces.

"What?" Clark asked.

"Why?" Callie asked.

"Come on, how much longer could I really stay here? Besides, I'm fine now. No fainting spells or blackouts. And I don't know Metropolis just feels safer all of a sudden now." She shrugged.

" _I bet_ …" Callie mumbled as she took a quick glance at Clark.

He avoided Callie's eyes and looked to Lois.

"If that's what you want…"

"It's what I need, Smallville." She said. Picking one the duffle bags and lugging it over her shoulder she said, "I just hope that my car can fit all this stuff. That is if my car starts at all."

"How about I take this to your car and make sure that it starts?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, okay." She said shoving the bag into his chest. "Keys are over there. And there's another bag upstairs."

Clark picked up the heavy makeshift luggage as if they weighed nothing and went outside, grabbing the keys on his way out.

Moving toward Callie she surveyed what was on the island before her.

"What happened to these?" Lois said pointing to the pancakes.

"They were supposed to be bunnies." She said disappointed. " He'll get better at it. You want any? They're good even though they look weird."

"No thanks. I'll grab something at work."

"Speaking of work, I hear Clark made his way back to the bullpen." Callie said.

"Yeah, he couldn't stay away."

A smirk came across Callie's face.

"What?"

"Nothing."

The topic of work sparked Lois' thoughts of her night again. She debated on whether or not to share with Callie what had happened to her. She couldn't tell Clark, because that would just be awkward. She could tell Chloe, but she didn't want to rub anything in her face so soon after Jimmy. She was bursting to tell someone, though. She needed the inquiry of someone else, someone from the outside.

"Can I tell you something?" She blurted out.

"Uh, sure. What's on your mind?"

"Well, after everything that happened with _Mr. Roboto_ the other night, I was contacted by the guy who saved me."

"The Blur?"

"Yeah." She sighed.

"What did he say?"

"He left me a note to meet him on the roof of the Daily Planet last night."

"Wow. Then what happened?" Callie asked, taking a sip of her orange juice.

"Well," she said as she sat at the stool next to her, "I thanked him for saving Clark and I and he told me that he had been keeping an eye on me so that was why he had been there. He really didn't say much else…except he told me to close my eyes and then…. _he kissed me_."

Callie gasped. "No way! He kissed you?"

"Yeah," she happily sighed. "It was incredible."

Callie turned back to her breakfast. "Sounds exciting," she said before she put a fork full of pancake in her mouth.

"Exciting doesn't cut it. I mean the feel of his hands and the heat of his body against mine, alone on the roof. It was sexy." she trailed going off into a daze.

Suddenly she heard Callie choke on her pancakes.

"Are you okay?" Lois asked, startled out of her trance.

Callie put her hand up signaling she was okay as she coughed a couple times and patted her chest. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just went down the wrong pipe." She managed to say between coughs.

"Okay, well I think story-time is over for now."

"I think that's a good idea." Callie said, taking a sip of her drink. "It was a good story though. Almost killed me so… you know you have a winner there."

Lois smiled, "Yeah, I guess."

"Is that why you're leaving?" Callie asked, referring to the Blur she assumed.

Lois could sense some sadness in her voice when she did so.

"I think it's time for me to go. Don't want to outstay my welcome."

"I don't think that could happen."

"Maybe not, but I do need to go back sometime."

"True." She turned to her and said, "I'm going to miss you not being here."

Lois felt her heart tug at her.

"I'm not going far away and when you're in school we'll be very close. We'll see each other all the time."

"Right… _school_." Callie said, her eyes looking away.

"And who said I won't come here to visit you and make sure Clark is still feeding you?"

Callie smiled, "I'd like that."

"Of course. If you need me, I'm here. I'm only a phone call away."

Callie nodded and pulled Lois into a hug. Hugging her back she was starting to second guess her decision.

' _No, you need to do this.'_

"Car runs fine." Clark said coming back in. "Bags all fit, too."

"Great." She smiled, but not as enthused as before. "Guess the other day was a fluke." She then thought to the lone bag she had left up the stairs and turned to Clark. "Wait, you said both bags, but I only gave you one."

"I, uh...I came in through the front and grabbed it."

"Oh." She guessed she was all packed then.

Getting up she looked at Callie and then back to Clark. Placing her hands in her jeans pockets she said, "Thanks for letting me stay here. Even though I was against it at first, I'm sort of glad I did it."

"The door here is always open." He said.

She nodded and took the keys from him. "I'll see you at work." She said softly.

She turned to Callie who had moved beside Clark next to the doorway.

"And I'll see you around, too." She winked.

As she walked out the door and to her car she could feel the two of them stare at her as she went. Walking away from the house,and the two of them, seemed like one of the hardest things she'd ever done.

Opening her car door she turned back to give a one last quick wave. Starting her car she backed out and once she made it to the road she stopped. A tear fell down her cheek and she quickly swatted it away.

"Suck it up, Lane."

With a deep breath she turned onto the road and sped away from the farm.

*/*

Another few hours later Lois sat at her desk trying to get her piece on the scandal with one of the city council members done. Staring at a blinking cursor her mind just wouldn't seem to process anything.

' _What's wrong with me?'_

Her eyes lifted up from her desktop and looked over to the figure in front of her. She saw Clark staring at his computer. He must have felt her staring at him because his eyes rose up and locked with hers.

"What?" He asked.

"Uh.." she said shuffling through some of the papers lying across her desk, "I was thinking about grabbing a bite, and didn't know if you wanted to come."

It was basically a lie, but she couldn't sit at her desk anymore. She almost felt claustrophobic and she needed to get out of there and getting out with Clark didn't seem like a bad idea.

He nodded, "Sure."

"Okay." She said, grabbing her purse.

The pair walked up the stairs onto the crowded sidewalk. She lost Clark in the throng of people when she accidentally dropped something out of her purse. Picking it up she resumed walking past the spinning doors of the front of the Daily Planet, when she suddenly felt like she had walked into a brick wall. She realized that someone coming out of the doors had walked right into front of her path and their shoulders collided.

"Watch it." She said.

Looking up at the guy who had slammed into her, all the color drained from her face.

' _It's him. It's the guy from my dream.'_

He said nothing and only stared at her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she felt a shiver run up her spine. He then looked behind her to Clark who was making his way toward her.

Tess then came out of the building with another woman. Tess ignored Lois' presence and walked straight to the limo waiting in the street. The two mystery guests followed.

All she could do was watch them. The man turned back once more and looked at her, almost right through her and Clark, who was now beside her. Unexpectedly Lois felt the urge to get Clark away from him as fast as she could. She couldn't pinpoint the feeling, but somehow she felt that the guy was dangerous. She felt it not only for her, but for Clark especially.

"Come on, let's go." She said clutching his hand and pulling him away.

"Whoa. Wait. Lois what's wrong?" Clark asked

"I don't know." She said honestly.

"Lois?"

She turned her head over her shoulder and saw that the limo had disappeared. Breathing a sigh of relief she turned to Clark.

"Let's just go eat okay?"

She kept Clark close beside her as they walked. Turning back once more she glanced at the spot where the limo had been.

' _Tess is connected to this guy. I wonder what she knows.'_ Her mind then focused on the man from her dreams, ' _Who is he and why do I feel this way?'_ she thought.

She wasn't going to dwell on it while with Clark. If she did that he would keep asking her questions because he would know something was wrong with her. For the moment she pushed the encounter out of her mind, but was determined to find the answers that she needed later.

~\~

After grabbing something to eat with Lois, Clark felt like she was keeping something from him. The whole event on the sidewalk had caught his attention. She had seemed so shaken by the guy who had run into her. He had to admit that the guy did seem intimidating, but he couldn't understand how Lois, the tough woman that she was, could let anyone like that get to her. But she hadn't wanted to talk about it, so he let it go.

Glancing at the time on his computer he realized that he hadn't checked in with Callie. Picking up the phone he called the house, but all he got was the machine.

"Callie, if you're there pick up."

He waited a bit, but she didn't answer. Hanging up, he dialed Chloe's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey, is Callie with you?" he asked, his voice slightly panicked.

"No, why?" she asked.

"I called the house but she didn't pick up."

"Maybe she's in the barn or outside." She suggested.

"She could be."

" _Or…"_ Chloe said.

"Or what?" He asked, not liking the tone she had.

"She could be doing something else."

Clark listened intently. Judging by her voice, he was sure he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.

~\~

Tugging at the bag over her shoulder, Callie walked into the stables and stood at the center of it. Looking at all the horses she saw the nameplate Snowball and walked up to it. Grabbing a blanket and a saddle she opened the door and rubbed the nose of the grey horse.

"We're going to go on a trip, Snowball."

Callie figured if she got caught by the mansion all she would have to do was play the ' _little girl lost in the woods'_ card. Placing the blanket on the horse, then the saddle, she strapped everything together and then used her power of flight to get on the horse.

"So much easier that way." She said to herself.

Galloping out onto the trail she headed through the woods toward the mansion. She had ridden all these trails so many different times that she knew she could do it in her sleep. She watched as nature passed her by and it looked the same as she had always remembered. Galloping faster, she zigged and zagged through the trees and jumped over a few trunks that had been knocked over. Petting the horse's head she whispered in his ear, "Good job, Snowball."

Seeing the mansion between some of the trees she slowed her pace and instructed the horse to ease forward. Climbing down she went in her pocket and pulled out some carrots.

"Thanks for the lift, boy." She said feeding him.

Tying the horse up to the tree, Callie glanced up to see how tall it was. Seeing that it went up at least a hundred feet she floated high above the horse and settled onto a sturdy thick branch. Pulling the camera out from the camera bag on her shoulder she positioned herself so she could get a prime view. She could only zoom in so far, so she tried her best to get certain areas in focus. As she was adjusting the lens, a limo pulled up in the driveway.

She watched as individuals started to emerge from the car. She could see a man in a dark shirt and khaki cargo pants and quickly snapped photos. A woman followed close behind him and when she turned her shirt rode up to reveal the bottom markings of a tattoo. She then saw Tess Mercer behind them as they all entered through the front door of the mansion.

"What do you think you're doing?" A voice called from below her.

She looked down and saw that Clark was at the base of the tree staring up at her, clearly irritated.

"Why don't you come up here and see for yourself?" She challenged, knowing that he couldn't fly up there.

She watched as Clark jumped up but when he went for one of the branches it snapped and he fell to the ground.

Callie burst into laughter. Clapping her hands she chanted, "Do it again! Do it again!"

Clark got up and wiped himself off. "Will you just come down," he ordered.

Callie obeyed and jumped down. "And this is why you need to learn to fly. By the way, I give the landing an 8.5."

"Very funny."

"It was from up there." She smirked.

"What are you doing?" he asked again.

" _Bird watching_?"

Clark's look became more stern.

"Okay, _okay_ , I was spying on the Luthor mansion. I have an inkling that Zod is around and I wanted to be sure so I could strategize."

Confusion eroded his features. "Strategize?"

"Yes, _strategize_. That's what you do before you head into battle."

He shook his head. "Now wait a minute, Callie. If Zod even is around I don't want-"

"Don't want what? Me involved?" She said with a touch of anger.

Clark pursed his lips together and kept silent.

"I'm not going to sit on the sidelines."

"I don't want to see you hurt." Clark said.

"That's not a good enough reason. We can work together on this, I know it." She pressed.

"Did you find anything?" He asked, letting up a bit.

"I saw a woman with a tattoo on her back come out of the car. A man was with her, but I couldn't get this stupid thing to focus right to see his face and then Tess followed them."

"They were all in the car together?" Clark asked, piecing together something in his thoughts.

Callie started to become concerned. "Yeah, why?"

She could tell by the look on Clark's face that he had information or an idea from her description.

"Because I saw Tess leaving the Daily Planet in a limo today. Lois was with me and the man she saw with her, I don't know, he made her very uncomfortable. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible."

"Do you think she's seen him somewhere before?"

"I'm not sure."

"Then we'll just have to keep digging won't we? But we can't wait too long. If Tess is indeed in cahoots with Zod, then whether she knows it or not she's cooking up something big. Apocalyptic big." She said eyeing him.

She packed her things away, walked over to the horse and maneuvered herself on top of him once more.

"Meet you back at the house?" She asked, looking down at him.

"I have to go back to the Planet. I shouldn't be long."

"Okay. See you later." She turned to face front. "Okay, let's go Snowball." She said as she galloped down the trail back toward the stables.

~\~

Clark sped to the alley near the Daily Planet then walked the rest of the way in. Brushing off some dirt still on his pants that lingered from his fall, he walked down the stairs in the basement and caught Lois on her way up.

"Hey Smallville, where did you run off to?" She asked, slinging her purse over her shoulder.

"I just had to run an errand."

"Okay, well see you later." She said as she started to move past him.

Blocking her from moving he asked, "Wait, where are you going?"

"What are you my keeper now?"

"No, it's just…"

' _I want to keep you safe.'_ He finished in his thoughts.

"Just what?" She asked. He could see the curiosity building up in her eyes.

"I just didn't know if you were off to chase a lead or something." He covered.

"No, no lead. I _am_ off to chase some Zs in my apartment, though."

"You need any help? You know with the bags?" He offered, hoping that she would say yes.

"Nah, I'll manage."

' _She's making this so difficult.'_

She smiled at him and said, "I'll be fine, Clark."

"Yeah," he said with a forced smile, "I know that."

"So, then quit worrying about me." She said as she walked up the remaining steps.

' _Yeah, that's not going to happen.'_

Once she was fully out the door Clark walked to desk and plopped into his chair. Lightly hitting his fist onto his desk he leaned back into the chair and let out a breath. He glanced over and looked at her empty desk. He had been getting used to the both of them coming to work together in the morning and leaving together at night. The thought of her being in her apartment alone didn't sit well with him. It felt like torture that she wouldn't even let him help her.

' _But that's Lois.'_

Gathering some folders he decided that he wouldn't dwell on it.

' _Like she said, she couldn't stay at the farm forever.'_ He tried to reason with himself.

Packing his stuff together he forced Lois out of his thoughts and headed home.

~\~

Lois juggled each duffle bag and her purse as she kicked her door open. Dropping all her stuff directly on the floor she shut the door behind her and made a beeline for the couch, falling face first into it.

"My couch. My lovely couch." She said as her hands glided up and down the light blue microfiber.

She turned herself over and landed on her back. She stared at the ceiling and just listened to the silence.

"It's quiet." She whispered to herself.

She thought she would have enjoyed it more, but started to feel that it was too her temples she pushed herself from the couch and headed towards her bedroom. Changing into a tank top and sweatpants she lied on her bed and stared at the ceiling in a different room.

It had been a rough day. She had left the farm with her belongings and then ran into the man of her dreams, literally. She still couldn't believe that the guy haunting her when she slept had been physically in front of her. That and the fact he had been with Tess.

"What if she had something to do with my disappearance?" She questioned out loud. Groaning she rubbed her forehead. "I have to figure this out."

As much as she wanted to know all the answers she didn't want to think about it anymore, at least for the night anyway. She just wanted to sleep and deal with it in the morning. In the morning she would be her ' _pit-bull on a pant leg'_ self, but for the moment she just wanted to sleep away whatever was left of the day.

~\~

When Clark arrived home he saw Callie walking from the directions of the stables.

"I thought you'd be working still." She said.

"There wasn't much left to do." He shrugged.

Walking up the steps of the porch he opened the front door. The two of them walked into the house and just stopped to take in the atmosphere.

"It's quiet," Callie said as they stood in the middle of the foyer.

"Yeah," was all he managed to say.

Thoughts of Lois bombarded his brain again. He had to make sure she was okay. If he didn't he knew he would go crazy.

' _I'll patrol tonight and stop by real quick, just to check on her.'_ He thought.

Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Callie looked up and examined his face.

"What?"

"Do I really have to vocalize what you're already thinking of doing?"

With a nod Clark super-sped up the stairs and when he returned by her side he was wearing his blue shirt and red jacket.

"Just don't be too late. _I do worry you know_." She said using his words from earlier against him.

"I'll try not to be."

They smiled knowingly at each other and he dashed out in a red and blue streak out of the house.

Patrolling around town he was back to his old ways, but he still couldn't shake some of the methods he had retained from the past month. He stopped crimes through the night here and there, but he soon found himself perched on the roof of the building across the alley from Lois. Staying there for a few minutes, he saw the light turn on and movement in her bedroom. He checked his watch. He couldn't go to her apartment as Clark to check on her, it was too late.

' _But I could do it another way.'_

~\~

Lois clutched her pillow tight as the familiar dream replayed in her head. The voices and _the face_. She gasped as she shot up in her bed. Throwing the covers from her body she made her way to the sink in the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water.

She still couldn't get over the fact that the face she had seen with Tess was in fact the face from her made her tremble inside. What bothered her the most was the feeling that the guy, Zod or whatever, would hurt Clark. She didn't even know where the emotion came from, but an intense fear for him had invaded her body and she felt the need to get him as far away as possible.

' _What the hell happened to you, Lane?'_

Wiping sweat from her forehead and she took some deep breaths to try and regulate her rapid heartbeat. As soon as she was done with the water she placed the glass back on the counter and walked back to her bedroom. Halfway there she heard her cell phone start to go off in her purse.

' _Crap, I forgot to put it on the charger!'_

Moving the larger bags aside she tore through her purse and pulled out her phone. The screen flashed **No Number**. She wasn't going to pick it up, especially since it was so late-or early?- but curiosity got the best of her and she pressed the answer button.

"Hello?"

"I hope I didn't wake you." The deep concerned voice said through the receiver.

A slow smile crept on her face. ' _The Blur.'_

"Uh, no. I was up for a different reason."

"Is everything okay?"

' _How does he know?'_ She wondered.

"Yeah, everything is fine. Wait, what am I saying? I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Why?" The concern heightening..

"Promise you won't try to throw me into Belle Reeve?" She asked as she opened the door to her balcony and stepped outside.

"I promise."

"Ever since I got back from wherever it is that I was, I've been having weird dreams. I'd hear these voices, but I couldn't remember anything visual. Then the night you saved me I had another dream, only this time I saw a face and kind of got a name. I've never seen the guy before in my life…. that is until today."

"Maybe your brain recovered a memory." He suggested.

"Or someone wanted me to know it. I know it sounds crazy. I even thought maybe I was clairvoyant for a second and having premonitions. I just, the feeling I got from this guy, it was scary. I was with Clark, the guy you saved the other night…" She said leaning on the rail.

"The guy you work with."

"Yeah, that's him," she said smiling, "I was with him and I felt this impulse to get him as far away as possible, like I had to protect him. Usually he's the one who feels the need to protect me, like tonight for instance, but…" she stopped and let herself breathe, "I'm sorry. I tend to ramble when I'm talking to you."

"That's okay." She could almost hear the smile in his voice.

"I care about Clark and the thought about someone wanting to hurt him, someone who I've never even met, for that matter…I don't know. I just don't know. It freaked me out that I could lose him."

' _Oh no,_ _did I just say that to him?'_

"So you have feelings for Clark?"

Lois smacked the top of her forehead and shut her eyes at her blunder.

"The feelings I have for Clark are _complicated_. Sort for like the feelings I have… _for you_. That kiss last night… You sure know how to make a girl think."

"It was amazing by the way."

"Yeah, it was." She breathed. "But as amazing as it was, I think I need to figure out what it is I have with Clark before I…we…it wouldn't be fair if…" She said, trying to find the right words.

"I understand." He said.

"Thank you. For everything. For letting me blabber on about whatever it is that's going on and for just for being out _there_ in general."

"I'll always be here for you, Miss Lane."

"Thanks. Be safe." She said as she hit the end key on her phone.

She looked up to the sky and then to the building across the alleyway. She could have sworn that she saw a red streak go across the roof.

"I hope I didn't make a mistake in saying all that to him." She said to herself as she toyed with her phone.

Turning back to go inside she closed the door and mumbled, "Stupid Clark. Stupid feelings."

~\~

Clark had mulled over all the information that Lois had given him over their phone conversation. He knew that she had a dream the night she had blacked out, but she hadn't told him that it had been recurring. He definitely knew now that she had seen the man from the sidewalk before, but she left out the part where she had said she remembered a name. All signs, however, pointed to the direction of Zod. Callie had been right, she had seen the man before.

The other item that struck him the most was how honest she was when she talked to ' _The Blur'_. She had opened up and agreed that the kiss they had shared was amazing, but what surprised him beyond that was the fact that she admitted that she had feelings for him, him meaning Clark.

After wondering if he had messed things up by kissing her as ' _The Blur'_ she quelled his fears by telling him that she needed to sort out her feelings and figure out what they meant. He wanted to know what they meant, as well. He couldn't string her along as ' _The Blur'_ either. She mentioned fairness and that wasn't fair for her.

If he was serious about this, serious about her, which he was, then he would have to be truthful about his feelings to her. He wasn't going to make the same mistakes he had made in the past. What he was feeling for Lois was different. Every day it got stronger. He couldn't deny it anymore.

Step one was admitting his feelings. The next step after that would have to be revealing his secret.

He thought he would be more fearful of the notion of telling her his secret but the world had proved to him time and time again that she would accept wholeheartedly and he knew that she accepted both sides of him without knowing that they were the same person. He found that the most detail.

Clark smiled to himself. The ball was in his court now and he was ready to make his move.

~\~

After finally being able to get some decent amount of sleep, Lois decided to use her day off to investigate what her dreams were about. Seeing _Zod_ with Tess in the limo the day before gave her the evidence she was lacking in the case of her disappearance. If she could find out who this person was exactly, maybe she would have some clue as to what had happened to her.

Getting in her car, she drove to Smallville. Her main intention was to drive to Tess' and investigate the ' _face_ ' but once she made it to town she felt the need to go another way. That way leading toward the Kent farm.

' _I did promise Callie that I would stop by…'_ she thought.

"I'll just poke my head in and then I'll pay Tess a little visit." She reasoned with herself.

"What harm could just stopping by do?"

Happy with her decision she drove between the massive fields of corn toward the farm.

~\~

Callie pushed the wheel barrel in front of her as she did some of the farm chores. She smiled as she thought about Clark that morning. He seemed so light on his feet that she thought he was finally going to fly.

' _Things must have been good last night._ '

Hearing a car behind her beep, she turned around and saw Lois pulling up.

"Hey there, stranger. I thought it'd be longer till you came out here again. Nice hair by the way," She said referring to the pigtails her hair was in. Callie had done her hair that same way in that morning, as well.

"Thank you and ditto. I'm just checking up on you as promised."

' _Or coming to see someone else…'_

The door to the house shut and she turned to see Clark frozen as he noticed Lois in the driveway. Thawing out, he made his way toward them.

"What brings you out here, Lois?"

"A little fresh air never hurt anyone. Besides, maybe I missed the farm a little."

"Well, if you missed it so much, we were just about to do some work. Want to help out?"

Callie looked from Clark to Lois. The way they were staring at each other was making her crazy.

' _Just kiss already! Jeez. How much longer do I have to stand this?'_

Lois shrugged, "I guess I could help out a little bit."

' _How long do I have to stand it?_ _The whole day apparently.'_

"Great. You can milk the cows." He smirked.

"Yeah, don't think so, Smallville. _Though,_ I could always ride the tractor."

Clark laughed, "No way."

Lois placed her hand on her hip, "What? You think I can't do it?"

"Lois, it's not as easy as it looks."

"It's on wheels and drives. I do that in my car."

"Lo—"he stopped, trying to muster strength to battle her, which Callie always found amusing. "Driving a tractor is not like driving a car."

"I think I can handle it." She said crossing her arms across her chest.

Letting out a groan he said, "You know what Lois; you're the most infuriating person I know."

The comment struck a chord. ' _Infuriating_ ' Callie thought. Smiling inwardly to herself she thought back to the time as a child she asked her dad about what it was about her mother that he fell in love with. She remembered his exact words.

" _She's the strongest, most infuriating, passionate, and exciting person I've ever met in my life. There's no one else like her. That's why I fell in love with her."_

"Right back at you, Smallville." She said with a smile, which he mirrored with his own.

' _How do they do that? Fight one second and then smile and gaze at each other the next?'_

"I need to finish some stuff in the barn. Then _I'll_ help you with the tractor."

"Fine. I'll just tag along and pester you till you're done then."

Shaking his head he headed off to the barn as Lois followed, but she turned back to wink at Callie real quick.

~\~

Clark couldn't believe how she could rope him into letting her drive the tractor. Moving some of the tools around he looked back to see Lois sitting on a hay bale impatiently waiting for him.

"How much longer are you going to be?"

Clark turned up the volume of the radio a notch.

"What's that Lois? Can't seem to hear you." He called back and smiled.

"Having some youth in the house has helped with your humor."

As he went back to what he was working on, the song on the radio changed to a slower tempo.

"I love this song." Lois sighed.

Glancing to the side he remembered Chloe's wedding in the barn. For a time it had been a beautiful night and seeing Lois in her dress had taken his breath away. He had pulled her out onto the dance floor and when she was pushed into him accidentally, they had almost kissed.

He regrettably sighed thinking about what had transpired at that point in time. He had gone back to something he thought was familiar and safe and had completely denied what was new and scary. He hadn't been ready then, but he was ready now. Callie was right, the blinders were off.

Turning back to look at Lois, her eyes were closed as she listened to the song and moved her head. Clearing his throat to grab her attention, he walked over and extended his hand to her.

"What?" She asked, looking at his open hand.

He grabbed her hand into his and tilted his head over to the open space in the center of the barn. She followed him hesitantly and stared at him the entire time.

As he pulled her closer he said, "We never got to finish our dance last we were here."

"Yeah, I remember." She said with some sadness in her voice.

"I want to finish it."

"You've got to be kidding, Smallville." She scoffed.

"No. I'm not." He said seriously.

She stepped closer to him and placed her hand on his upper arm as they began to sway. He looked down at her as she looked up at him. He couldn't believe he had never let himself see it. She had been in front of him this entire time.

' _Everything that happened is the past now. Time for me to look toward the future.'_ He thought.

Freeing the feelings inside of him made him breathe easier. Now that he could finally admit what he felt about Lois, he was determined to this right and never let her go.

~\~

Walking past the barn Callie abruptly stopped when she witnessed Clark and Lois in there. Music was playing and they were slow dancing to it. It was beautiful. Sneaking in she hid behind the stairs and just watched them. She could tell by the way they were looking at each other that they wanted to kiss each other.

' _Not like I haven't seen those looks before…'_ Staring at Clark, she thought, ' _Kiss her you fool!'_

She watched as their faces slowly moved towards each other. Hearing something beside her she saw Shelby come into the barn. He whined a little as he looked at her.

"I can't right now, Shelbs." She whispered.

She turned back to them, but the sound of Shelby's whine becoming louder caught her attention instead.

"No!" She hissed. He didn't seem to like that very much and made continuous noises under his breath to get her attention. "Shelby, come on." She whined herself.

As she noticed he was about to bark, she waved her hands in protest at him. But it was too late. Shelby started to bark and it broke Lois and Clark out of their moment.

Callie rolled her eyes at the dog. "Way to go."

"Callie?" Clark asked, craning his neck to get a glimpse of her and the dog.

"Hey, there. I bet you're wondering why I'm crouched over here. I just, uh, I just dropped it lucky... ," She looked down under her and picked whatever she saw off the ground examining it. "... _paperclip_. So, you two just get back to whatever it was you were doing."

She got up off the ground and pushed Shelby out of the barn.

"Now stay out of there!" she told him pointedly.

She peaked back into the barn, but she could tell the moment was over.

' _No wonder they took so long to get together. They were always getting interrupted by something I bet.'_

Heading toward the back field she spied the cows grazing. It was picturesque as a typical farm scene. The sky was a crystal clear blue, the air calm and crisp. It was delightful, but with the peace came more of her thoughts. The scene that she had just witnessed played back in her head and started to hum, soon realizing it from a childhood cartoon movie.

Stopping, she rolled her eyes. "He just needs to go ahead and kiss the girl."

She stood in that spot for a few more moments before shaking her head and letting out a small chuckle. She had never imagined in a million years she'd be playing matchmaker for her young parents. Turning back toward the house, she returned back to the outside of the barn to see that Clark and Lois were still together, but with ample space between them.

' _Why can't they just let their feelings out? What's with all the stalling? She likes him, he likes her… it should be so easy.'_

Feeling a hum of vibrations in the air she turned around and was surprised to see a woman suddenly behind her.

"Jeez. You scared me. Get a bell around your neck or something."

She focused on the woman's face and quickly recognized who she was.

"Zatanna." She breathed out.

"Oliver Queen told me that you need my assistance with something?"

"Yeah." Was all she managed to say.

'' _Wow. This is happening so fast.'_ She thought. Out of the corner of her eye she looked to the barn and thought about the younger version of her parents. ' _I won't have a chance to say good-bye.'_

"So are we going to do this or what?" Zatanna asked, her eyes sparkling in anticipation.

"Okay, let's do it." Callie said, taking a deep breath. This was it. She was going home.

Zatanna raised an eyebrow at her. "Interesting. Not at all what I thought."

"What?" Callie asked, confused.

Zatanna's eyes glowed and Callie quickly shut her eyes. She didn't know why she did it, but she figured that the next time she opened them she would be back in her rightful time and place.

Opening her eyes slowly she looked down and saw that she was still in one piece. Looking up she surveyed the area and noticed that everything still looked the same. She heard a dog bark and when her eyes landed on its owner, she saw that it was Shelby and not her Krypto.

She hadn't gone anywhere.

Turning in every direction, Zatanna was nowhere to be found.

"I don't get it." Callie whispered to herself. "Her eyes glowed! Something was granted."

Callie thought back to what had been on her mind. Her eyes snapped open and moved toward the barn.

"Oh no. _Ohhhh no_. Oh no, oh no, oh no." She said as she quickly headed in the direction of the structure.

"Can't I get a redo?" she said into the sky.

Going through the doors she rushed to the stairs where she heard a faint sound of giggles. Inching up the stairs, one at a time, she discovered Lois straddling Clark's lap on the couch in the loft, the both of them looking intently into each other's eyes. Then they started to kiss.

Callie quickly turned away and covered her eyes with her hand, trying to hide the view.

"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Always knock, Callie. This is what happens when you don't knock. Haven't you learned this lesson?" She scolded herself.

Turning back she cleared her throat to draw attention to her presence. She slowly let her hand drop from her eyes to her side.

"Oh, Callie!" Lois said, reluctantly, moving away from Clark.

"Yeah, um, wow. When, uh, when did this happen? Or _do I even want to know_?"

Lois and Clark smiled at each other. Clark stood up and wrapped his arms around Lois' waist as she placed a hand on his chest.

"We finally just got all our feelings out." He explained.

"Exactly. Why keep stalling, you know? I mean, I like him… he likes me." Lois said beaming and turning up to look at him. "It was staring at us in the face."

"And it was so easy to admit to." He gazed lovingly into her eyes, brushing a piece of hair away from her face.

Callie softened at their interaction, a smile tugging at her lips, but soon jolted herself out of her enjoyment.

' _The words they're saying…I thought those words…'_ Callie's eyes looked up at the ceiling as the light bulb went off in her head, ' _right before Zatanna showed up!'_

With the palm of her hand she smacked her forehead when she realized what she had done.

' _I made the wrong wish_.'

"Hey, um, you think that I can talk to Clark alone for a second?" Callie asked.

"Sure." Lois said.

As she started to move away Clark hung onto her arm and pulled her back to him. Giving her a kiss, Callie watched as he let Lois go and kept his eyes on her as she walked down the stairs, watching every step she took.

Callie came closer and pulled him away from the stairs so he could focus on her instead.

"Clark, I think I made a huge mistake."

"What did you do?" He asked with concern.

"I, uh…."

' _Do you really want to do this? I mean they do care about each other a lot. You just pushed them in the right direction. Plus, they look so nice together… WAIT. What am I saying? Of course I have to say something. It isn't supposed to happen like this!'_

"I, uh…" She started again.

She wanted to say something. She really, **really** did but the words were not coming out of her mouth.

Clark gazed out the window and the only thing she could think of was that he was seeing Lois. The look on his face made her heart melt. It was the way her father always looked at her mother. He could be only a few feet away from her and it would seem like miles when you looked at his face.

' _No. You have to tell him.'_

"Clark…"

"Yeah?" He said focusing back on her.

"Zatanna showed up and instead of wishing to go home I'm pretty sure I wished for you and Lois to be together." She said and then placed her hands up defensively and flinched. "Don't hurt me."

He stared at her for a couple of seconds then smiled and burst into laughter.

"Zatanna? That's a good one." He said as he went to move past her.

"No. Wait. I'm not kidding."

"Callie, seriously, come on. I know what I feel. I've felt it for a while."

"I know that. I'm not saying that I put the feelings into the two of you. I'm saying that I think I nudged you two together a little **too** soon." She insisted.

"Doesn't seem too soon for me." He said as he left. He seemed happier and almost had a little skip in his step as he walked down the stairs.

She was happy that he was happy, but this was all wrong. She wanted this but it wasn't right. Frustrated she turned away from the stairs.

' _What am I going to do?'_ She panicked.

Spotting Lois' phone on the couch she scooped it up and scrolled through the contacts until she found a number of someone who could help her.

"Hello?" The voice asked as it answered.

" _Chloe?_ " She said in a small child-like voice.


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Love Is a Battlefield

**Chapter Fifteen:** _**Love Is a Battlefield** _

Callie waited impatiently for Chloe to arrive. She kept her eye on her 'lovebird' parents to make sure they weren't doing anything they weren't supposed to be doing yet. Callie felt her body shuddered to the thought.

"Ew." She whispered.

A car zooming up the driveway broke Callie out of the cringey thoughts and brought a slight smile to her face because reinforcement had arrived. As Chloe exited the car she said, "I know kids want to see their parents together, but this was a little extreme don't you think?"

"I told you, she caught me off guard! And you would have been too if you saw the way they were looking at each other. My thoughts got distracted. "

"You're lucky I was at the Talon."

"And you're lucky I haven't gouged my own eyes out. Do you know how awkward this is, watching _pumpkin_ and _muffin_ over there?"

Callie and Chloe both turned to see Clark wrapping his hands around Lois' waist as they stood out on the porch gazing out into the pastoral farmland.

"It is a little weird." Chloe commented. "How did this happen again?"

"Zatanna showed up out of nowhere. I was all ready to go home and everything, but when I saw Clark and Lois together in the barn I thought how nice it would be if they just stopped stalling and got together. I guess that upstaged my getting home wish because that's what she granted! I just wish I could get her back here and fix this mess."

"From what I know about Zatanna you only get one wish and the key to getting rid of the hex is to not want it anymore." Chloe said.

"I know that, I'm fully aware of Zee's ' _no takesies backsies'_ policy, but how can you not want something you've known your entire life?" She said glancing back at her parents and then to Chloe.

"I don't know." Chloe said.

"Well, we have to figure something out because I'm the oldest and I'd like to keep it that way, thank you very much!" She said crossing her arms and looking back over her shoulder.

"Did you just say _oldest_?" Chloe questioned.

Callie's eyes widened. She was surprised at what had just let come out of her mouth. "Huh? Uh…no…" she said trying to deny it. "I said _only_."

"No, you said _oldest_." Chloe urged.

Callie groaned, "Ugh, you know what…fine!" She started to pace around, "What's the difference now? Yes, I am the oldest. I have a little brother —satisfied?" She wailed her hands up in defeat.

"Okay, number one, calm down, you're beginning to sound like Lois. Number two, a brother? So that's what the whole little league thing was about, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Callie breathed out, trying to get herself under control.

The sound of laughter cut through Callie's revelation. Her parents seemed to not have a care in the outside world. They were so immersed in each other she doubted a nuclear blast would pull their attention away from each other.

"Okay, this is starting to remind me of that Red-K laced lipstick ordeal all over again. Are we sure this isn't MSR?" Chloe said, using Callie's lingo.

"No MSR, just MSW—my stupid wish." Callie said, dropping her head in her hands.

Her eyes gravitated back toward her parents and she couldn't stop the sense of familiarity that was gnawing at her.

"What is it?" Chloe asked.

"Just watching them… It's like when you're flipping through the channels and you stumble upon a movie halfway through the story and you missed the whole beginning part. I'm getting to see that beginning now." Callie sighed. "But it's not right. This isn't the way their relationship was supposed to start."

Callie would have loved nothing more than to rewind time to before Lois had even shown up on the farm that morning and stop this whole mess she created.

During the night she hadn't slept that much since Clark had been out patrolling, but once he came home she had been assured Lois was safe and she had been out like a light. When morning came she showed Clark the photos she had taken over breakfast and decided that after doing chores they would sit down and finally hash out the Zod business.

' _Zod.'_ She thought.

"Aside from all of this I need another favor." She told Chloe.

"Something bigger than this?"

"I took pictures yesterday of the mansion. I have shots that I think could lead to Zod, but I don't have any way of printing them here. Clark and I were _supposed_ to do it together after we did the chores, but we both know how that went." Callie then whistled , mimicking the sound of a bomb dropping then made a 'boom' sound, emphasizing it with her hands.

Chloe couldn't help but crack a smile. "Hand it over."

Callie super-sped to the side door to the kitchen and grabbed the camera she had left on the island. Speeding back outside, she handed it to Chloe who immediately started to scroll through the shots. "I'll take this back to the Talon and print them out there."

Following Chloe to her car she asked, "You're going to leave me here with them?"

"Callie, they're your parents. I think you can deal."

Callie took a deep breath.

"Just try and stall any kind of… _activity_ they may have on their minds."

"Great. That's just what I wanted to do today." Callie grimaced.

Chloe got into her car. As she started to drive off she called out, "You'll do fine."

Callie frowned as Chloe's car disappeared down the driveway. She turned around to see that her parents were no longer in her sight. Scanning the perimeter she noticed that they weren't outside anymore either. Heading inside in a hurry she witnessed them as they were getting settled on the couch and cuddling with the television on.

For a second she didn't want to disturbed them. It reminded her of things that her parents did in her time and to capture that, even if for a second, brought happiness into her heart. Closing her eyes she tried to block out those feelings.

' _This doesn't happen now, Cal. You need to nip this in the bud.'_

Opening her eyes back up she gave an affirmative nod to herself, a plan already forming. Walking to the back on the couch she placed her hand between their touching shoulders and began to push them apart.

"Excuse me." She said as she climbed over the back of the couch and squeezed herself in between the two of them. Slapping her hands on her thighs she sang, "So… _whatch-ya-doin'_?"

"We _were_ watching T.V." Lois said, obviously not pleased with the new seating arrangement.

' _That's not what I saw.'_ She thought.

"That's a great idea." She clapped with fake cheer. "We can watch together."

Reaching for the remote she flipped through the channels.

' _Football? Too much grunting and groaning…'_ She eyed the both of them. ' _Don't want them getting any ideas.'_

She went through more channels and landed on two people kissing. ' _Uh, no.'_

Feeling as though her thumb would break the channel button, she stopped on one of the court shows where the plaintiff and the defendant were getting into an argument. She was about to let the remote drop when she froze.

' _Wait, arguing? Isn't this like foreplay for them?'_ She shivered at the very thought of her parents and foreplay. ' _Next!'_

Quickly turning the channel once more she finally found something she deemed safe.

"C-Span anyone?" She asked, looking at two very displeased faces.

*/*

After suffering through a half hour of C-span, Callie was forced to get up and go to the bathroom. On her way back she stopped when she saw Clark and Lois had shifted their canoodling to the kitchen. They were holding hands and whispering to each other. Backing up behind the wall, Callie let the scene unfold. It matched a childhood memory and suddenly felt very small. She could remember not being able to sleep the night her father had returned home after being "dead".

_Grabbing her bunny she tucked it under her arm and she snuck out of bed, creeping down the hallway._

_Callie peeked around the corner of the hallway and witnessed her parents embracing in the kitchen. Their hands were entwined and her father whispered something in her mother's ear that made her smile. He then placed his hand on her stomach. "I can't believe it." He uttered, amazement twinkling in his eyes._

" _I know. And we thought Callie was our miracle baby. Looks like those little swimmers of yours still pack a punch." She smirked as she tilted her head to the side._

_Her father grinned and buried his head into her mother's shoulder._

" _I could have missed this." She heard him murmur._

_Her mother ran her fingers through his hair then slowly pulled his head back so he could look straight at her face._

" _But you didn't. You're home."_

" _What are we going to say to everyone? Clark Kent is dead."_

" _Not with Lois Lane around. I've already got that covered, Smallville." She smiled._

" _You do?" He asked in disbelief._

" _Clark, I've dreamed about you coming home for the last three months. I had all these kinds of scenarios in my head, I never gave up hope of it. And I thought that when you did come home I'd need a story to back it up."_

_Callie could confirm everything her mother had just said. She remembered nights when her mother would be up late desperately trying to find some type of evidence that her father was still out there. Callie would crawl into her parents' bed and her mother would stroke her head with one hand trying to get her to sleep and use her other hand to use her laptop. She knew her father was strong physically, but no one was stronger than her mother in mind and spirit._

_Callie was glad those nights would now be over. Glancing back to her father she could tell that he too had been thinking about her words based on the crease in his forehead and the shape of his knitted eyebrows._

_Stroking her stomach again he asked, "So what did you come up with?"_

" _You were abducted by aliens." She said in a serious tone._

_Her father eyed her closely. She could tell by his face he wasn't sure how to respond. His piecing look made her mother's face crack into a smile. "Kidding," she said, assuring him._

" _Not funny."_

" _It was from over here."_

" _So, what did you really come up with?"_

" _Okay, during the attack 'Superman' was able to rescue you during the fight, but you had been badly hurt. You got transported to a hospital outside of Metropolis, but when you woke up you had amnesia."_

_He rolled his eyes, "Naturally."_

" _Excuse me. Not done here. Anyway, since all the files were still such a mess from the whole event, and there were so many patients scattered across Metropolis and the near areas, when we first looked for you we couldn't find you. However, your wife, the persistent woman that she is, wouldn't give up. I found out that a John Doe that had sustained severe injures from Doomsday: Part Duex was still being harbored at a hospital in a small town west of the city. So when I went there to investigate, I found you. And one look at this face," she said pointing to herself, "and your memories came flooding back."_

" _Sound good, except for the ending."_

" _And what's wrong with my ending?"_

" _I don't think just seeing you would trigger my memories."_

" _Alright, Smallville, just how would you end the story?"_

" _Well, seeing you would definitely bring up intense feelings, but I know I would have to do something else for my memories to come back."_

" _And what's that?"_

" _This," he whispered as he cupped her face and brought it to his._

_For a few moments Callie watched as her parents kissed intensely in the middle of the kitchen. She then shielded her eyes and waited to open them up till she knew they were done._

" _Wow." She heard her mom breathe out._

_Callie removed her hand and continued to watch them._

" _I think I like your ending better."_

" _I don't know now." He said playfully._

" _Well, then let me prove to you how powerful my kisses can be then…" She said as she inched closer to his face._

_Callie turned away from them again and brought her bunny up to her face. "Mommy and Daddy are kissing." She told her bunny. She scrunched up her face in disgust and said, "Yucky."_

_Clutching her bunny under her arm she ran back to her room, her parents never knowing she had been there._

Callie looked over at them and whispered softly, "Yucky."

She couldn't help but think that they looked so sweet together. That the position they were in was a position they were always meant to be in. Callie took a deep breath and shook her head.

"I'm so screwed."

The sound of fire trucks in the distance rang in her ears abruptly and pulled her thoughts away from the kitchen. She listened as the firefighters approached a fire in the center of Smallville.

"Clark!" She called out.

His head snapped to her and he eyed her with confusion.

"Can I talk to you outside for a second? It's important."

Heading toward the front door she left it open as he followed her onto the porch.

"Callie, what is it?"

"Clark, there's a huge fire in the center of town."

He looked at her as if she were speaking a foreign language.

"Clark. **Fire**."

" _And_?"

"Aren't you going to do anything about it?" She asked, not believing that he hadn't dashed off already.

"Like what?"

"Like, I don't know…speed over and help put it out in that nice anonymous way of yours?" She said gripping the rail of the porch behind her.

"I'm a little occupied at the moment." He said smiling and looking back over his shoulder to Lois in the house.

"Seriously? Okay, you did not just say that." Callie said gripping the rail tighter.

"Night after night and day after day I save people. I like saving people, but in doing so I'm always taking time away from being with the people I care about. When I was in the barn before I felt this weight lifted when I told Lois how I felt. I don't want to be apart from her. I'm not going to make the same mistakes I made before."

Callie could feel the wood crack from underneath her grasp.

"Clark, just because you save people for a living doesn't mean your life has to take a backseat. I know for a fact that you can have both. You can have your cake and eat it too. Trust me on this, but you need to go _now_."

"How about you do it?"

"Excuse me?" She skeptically asked.

"You and I share most of the same abilities, right? And I know you want to get a hand on the action. I think you should do it."

"You want me to play hero?"

"I know that you can do it." He smiled, assuring her.

This had been what she had always wanted,but her father had been very protective. She knew this was wrong, though she couldn't deny the great sense of pride and leadership swelling inside of her.

"I'll fill in on for you on this one, but when I get back we're having a major talk, Mister!"

Springing into action she dashed off to the center of town where she helped control the fire and then stopped a petty theft in progress. Flying back to the house she spotted Chloe's car on the way to the farm. She landed in front of the car as it drove up the driveway and Chloe made an abrupt stop, surprised to see her.

"Warn a girl before you do that next time." Chloe said getting out of her car.

"Sorry."

"Where were you?"

"Doing Clark's job apparently." She replied annoyed.

' _You're not annoyed. You enjoyed that and you know it.'_ A voice said in her thoughts. Another voice then replied, ' _Shut up!'_

"I have the pictures." Chloe said, pulling them out of her bag and holding them up.

Chloe and Callie sorted through them. One stood out and Callie grabbed it, clutching it in her hands.

"Zod." She said in affirmation.

"How do you know?"

"The fatigues tipped me off. Plus, the tattoo on her back here," she pointed, "That's a Kryptonian symbol. I'm sure of it."

"This is worse than we thought."

"Tell me about it."

Callie was about to go inside to throw the photo in Clark's face but she stopped when she heard sirens in the distance coming closer.

' _Seriously? Again?'_

"What is it?" Chloe asked, probably sensing something was wrong from the concentration on her face.

Callie listened attentively as she heard a male voice say, " _It's a bloodbath here, Sheriff. Bodies are all over the place, but Ms. Mercer is still unaccounted for."_

Callie's eyes widened as she said, "I think things just got a thousand times worse."

Walking back into the house she witnessed the romantic embrace of her parents by the stairs. Her arm sprung up and she pointed at them, yelling, "Hey! Hands, I want to see hands!"

Clark and Lois back away from each other and stared back with annoyance.

"Yeah, yeah, I know I'm a _major_ buzz kill." She said gesturing to herself. "Clark, we still need to have that talk and like **pronto**."

Letting out an irritated sigh Clark walked toward her as she opened the screen door and pushed him out saying, "Let's go, lover boy."

"What is it now?" he asked.

"Something major is going down at the Luthor mansion right now."

"You can handle it, right?"

"No Clark, I can't _handle it_."

"You seem to be doing a good job so far. Got that fire out, right?"

"Yes, but that's not the point."

"And the _point would be_?"

"The _point would be_ that you've totally lost a part of yourself and it's my fault. That stupid wish has made you completely oblivious to anything else but Lois."

"Weren't you the one complaining that you didn't want to sit on the sidelines?"

"Don't twist my words. I meant that I wanted to work _with_ you on this." She said as her eyes narrowed at him.

She held up the photo in her hands."Do you see this? Do you know what it is? Zod is already here and who knows what he's planning or what he already knows."

"Find out what happened at the mansion and then come back and we'll figure it out." He said.

"You're kidding me, right?" She said furiously.

"I have faith in you." He said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Callie let out a groan. She was so frustrated and so conflicted inside. The voices of the police tugged at her ear again. She had to find out what was going on, even if that meant investigating alone.

Clark removed his hand and walked back into the house. She shook her head and looked to Chloe who had walked up behind her.

"Watch them." Was the last thing she said before she disappeared in front of Chloe, leaving the photo suspended in the air and fluttering to the ground.

Callie sped through the trees down the familiar path she had taken a day before. Stopping, she hid behind one of the trees and could visibly see all the police cars with the red and blue lights flashing in front of the residence. Resuming her super-speed she sped behind a cop car and hid. She listened as the press started to arrive and question the authorities.

"Sheriff! Sheriff! What can you tell us about what happened in there?" A male voice called out.

"I'm not at liberty to say right now. We are still investigating."

"Any word on when we will be able to find out?" A female voice then asked.

"A press conference will be convened once we have finished combing the area."

Callie slowly stood up and stared as the door opened and a gurney wheeled out a body with a black zippered bag. Callie used her x-ray vision and gasped at what she saw. The body was fully intact except for the head that had been viciously chopped off.

' _Zod…_ ' she thought.

Looking around to make sure no one spotted her she sped in. Moving fast down the hallway she could smell the blood as she passed body after body of men in suits, all of which had their heads detached from their bodies.

' _Tess' security team never had a chance.'_ She thought.

The office was empty so she headed in there carefully, maneuvering around the yellow police tape. Standing at the entrance of the room she could see it was in disarray. The desk was flipped over, blood was splattered on the walls, and the bookshelves were empty as the contents dressed the floor.

Walking to the center slowly she peered at the file folders that were scattered on the floor next to the stairs. Seeing a familiar picture used her foot to slightly push into view.

As she examined them the name Clark Kent caught her attention. The other files around it made her stomach churn. Lying next his were the files with the names Lois Lane, Kara Kent, and _Callie Kent_ on the tabs _._ One of the pictures that Chloe had taken of her was paper clipped to the top of the folder.

"Oh no." She whispered.

The files indicated to her that they were being investigated. Tess and Zod must have been working together like she had thought, but she never fathomed that her mother's name would be thrown into the mix. She realized how naïve she had been to think that. Of course it would have, she was connected to her father in so many ways, even if they weren't romantic yet.

Then thoughts of the previous day rushed to the forefront of her mind.

" _Because I saw Tess leaving the Daily Planet in a limo today. Lois was with me and the man she saw with her, I don't know, he made her very uncomfortable. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible."_

" _Do you think she's seen him somewhere before?"_

" _I'm not sure."_

Zod had already seen Lois with Clark.

' _He must have sensed that Lois knew something. And since she was with Clark…'_ She thought.

Her eyes snapped up.

"He knows. He knows about him." She breathed out in a panic.

They were all in danger.

Speeding out of the mansion she pushed herself into hyper-speed trying to get back to the farm as fast as her powers could bring her. Once she got to the driveway she noticed that Chloe's car was gone. She could only hope that Chloe had taken her parents with her.

Heading to the barn she glanced around, uncertain of what she was looking for exactly. Heading over to the tool chest she opened it up and fumbled through the drawer trying to find some type of weapon that she could use, hoping her father had hidden something in there. Glancing over to the rug on the floor by the hay bales she started for it, knowing there was a trap door under there, only to stop as the hairs on her neck stood up.

' _Uh oh. My spidey sense is tingling.'_ She thought.

She turned around to see the man and woman from the photos standing before her. Both had dark hair, were now in green fatigues and had grim looks on their faces.

"Awesomeness," she whispered sarcastically to herself. "Who are you?" She followed, already knowing the answer.

"I am Major Zod. Where is the kryptonian that inhabits this wretched planet?"

"Kryptonian? I don't know any Kryptonian. I've heard of a Kardashian." She said coolly.

He stared into her eyes.

"You lie. I do not tolerate those that lie to me. I was crossed once today and nothing will divert me from my mission. Now where is the Kryptonian that calls himself 'The Blur'?"

"I don't know."

"If you do not know then you will kneel before me and join me on my mission."

"You first." She said as she formed a fist at her side. In one swift motion she went to punch him, but he stopped her fist in the air.

"Kneel before Zod." He commanded as he crunched her fist in his hand.

Callie winced in pain and stared up at him.

"Sorry, don't have my kneepads on me today." She said as she kicked him in the stomach.

She went to speed away but Zod was too fast for her. He trapped her between himself and the barn wall, grabbing her throat. She could feel the constriction of air making it into her lungs.

"Clark." She choked out.

She wanted to use her heat vision against Zod, but the grip he had on her throat was causing her to lose consciousness.

"Clark—."

' _Please hear me. I'm holding out for a hero here…'_

"Clark—" She barely managed to get out.

' _Dad, I need you.'_ She thought, blackness overcoming her eyes.

~\~

Clark proceeded to kiss a trail down Lois' neck. He smiled against her skin as she moaned in pleasure. Chloe had gotten a phone and finally left from "babysitting" him and Lois. He promised no misbehavior, but once she was gone he was grateful to finally be alone with Lois. Kissing their way through the house they finally managed to find his room and his bed.

Lifting his head he looked down at the buttons of her shirt and then to her eyes. She nodded in approval and he moved his hands, undoing them slowly.

" _Clark."_ He heard a whisper say. He thought it was Lois at first, but her mouth hadn't moved.

Pushing it away he continued his actions.

" _Clark—."_

He stopped again and looked around.

"What is it?" Lois asked.

Suddenly, Clark saw something flash before his eyes. Blinking fervently he adjusted his eyes to his environment. He was in his room, in his bed, and Lois was under him.

"Uh, Smallville? What the hell were we just doing?" She asked, clutching her shirt closed in confusion.

" _Clark—."_ The voice rang again and he focused on it.

"Callie." He whispered.

Turning to Lois he said, "Stay here."

Getting out of the room as fast as he could he sped to the barn where he witnessed a man and a woman there, the man with his hand roughly gripping Callie's neck. Shifting into super-speed mode once again, he tackled the guy, releasing Callie in the process.

Once they hit the floor hard he turned back to Callie who was climbing up from the ground and rubbing her neck.

"Nice timing, Romeo." She said hoarsely.

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern.

She nodded.

Turning back to the mysterious man below him he examined his clothes and chain around his neck that had fallen across his shoulder. Dogtags. There was a Kryptonian symbol on it, a very familiar Kryptonian symbol.

"Zod." He acknowledged.

Unbeknownst to him, Zod's female counterpart that he had sped past went to attack him from behind.

"Watch out!" Callie shouted.

He turned his head over his shoulder to see the woman coming at him, but Callie leapt and tackled her to the ground.

Turning his attention back to Zod, his body wasn't on the ground anymore but standing right in front of him.

"You are the Kryptonian that has chosen to defend this planet." He stated.

Clark narrowed his eyes at him.

' _This doesn't seem like the Zod I met last time around.'_

"My name is Kal-El."

Zod glared at him.

"I should have known. You have his eyes." He said, referring to Jor-El Clark assumed.

"I have studied you and your ways, Kal-El. You protect the petty people of this planet. I will finally open the door and my army will be unleashed and take this planet as our own. You can either join me or you **will** kneel before me."

"I don't think so." Clark said as rage built up in him.

"One way or another, Kal-El. One way or another..." Zod said.

He lunged at Clark, sending them both back vigorously through the side of the barn to the outside. Zod levitated them both off the ground and into the air where he hit Clark with a right hook to the face, sending him down through the roof and into his workbench, falling to the ground.

Zod swooped in and hovered over him as Clark mustered the strength to get up and wiped the blood from his face.

"Don't even bother, Kal-El. The end is nigh for you."

He pulled out a blade with Kryptonian symbols on it and went to stab it into Clark's chest. Clark extended his hands to stop him. The point of the made it down to his shirt, but didn't pierce his skin.

Clark used all his strength to keep the dagger from being punctured through him. He pushed the hand back but Zod's strength was weighing on him. He looked up to the loft where Callie was skillfully fighting the woman Zod had arrived with.

At that moment he needed someone's help because he didn't think he was going to be able to hold Zod back much longer.

~\~

Lois paced in Clark's bedroom as she looked at the bed and then down at her clothes.

' _What the hell just happened?'_ She thought.

She could remember driving to Smallville with the intention of interrogating Tess but instead some subconscious urge guided her in the direction of the Kent farm. Once there she bantered with Clark and then she remembered how things started to change when he turned the radio on and pulled her to dance with him, citing that he wanted to finish what had started at Chloe's wedding.

She had always wondered what would have happened had they not been interrupted but her hopes had been dashed when she had let herself reach out for Clark after she had come back from Star City to talk about it, only to have been stood up.

Being in his arms again had awoken the feelings that had been stirring in her but the sound of Shelby's bark had once again adjourned the moment. She figured that they would always be doomed to be interrupted.

A few awkward moments had passed and she had tried to make a break for it but that was when her memory started to get fuzzy and she started to get butterflies in her stomach. She focused on Clark's voice asking her not to go and to stay with him. She closed her eyes and she could feel his lips on hers.

The memories started to come back slowly. She could remember Callie separating them on the couch and the annoyance she felt about that. She could remember Clark's hand in hers and the feel of his breath on her neck. She could feel his arms around her as he gently lifted her up the stairs and into his room, and the desire to be close to him.

Then she remembered what had only happened a few moments before and the need of him not to stop what he was doing. All she could think about was Clark and only Clark. Then suddenly, like magic, those thoughts disappeared and her reason and common sense reared their ugly heads.

Clark had taken off and she was presently upstairs alone. Looking down at her top she adjusted and re-buttoned it. She could feel her hands trembling as she did so.

' _What is the matter with you?'_ She thought.

She touched her lips with her index finger and realized she had done the same action when she had been kissed by The Blur. Her thoughts were about to go to the Blur when crashing sounds from outside broke her out of them. Running out the bedroom door and down the stairs she could see dust clouds form and hear more noise outside coming from the barn.

Every part of her body alerted her to the danger that was out there, but she ignored it. Opening the door she ran for the structure and once inside witnessed Clark defending himself against some soldier looking dude wielding a knife at him. Her eyes found Callie up in the loft combating a woman in the same uniform.

"Clark!" She screamed.

Her voice distracted the man and Clark looked to her, horrified at her presence.

Her breath hitched as she saw the face of the mystery man. It was the same person who had haunted her dreams. The person she had desperately wanted to protect Clark from for reasons unknown to her.

"Zod." She said.

Compelled to help Clark she ran behind Zod and tried to pull him away, struggling to keep the steel dagger away from Clark's chest.

"Lois, no!" Clark managed to say under the pressure of pushing the weapon away.

"You care for this human don't you, Kal-El?"

' _Kal-El? What's this guy on besides the steroids that obviously are making him so freaking strong?'_

"Keep her out of this." Clark said.

Trying to tighten her grip, Zod twisted his body so that she was thrown to the ground. Picking herself up she paid close attention to the arm with the dagger and put all her strength in pulling it away from Clark. In one motion she was able to sidetrack him but his arm flew back and the blade cut into her shoulder.

Somehow Clark managed to punch him and send him flying across the barn, yet the action wasn't at the forefront in her mind. Her shoulder started to numb as blood began to seep out. Then the numbness that took over her arm then worked its way down to her legs. Once her legs succumbed, they gave out to the weight of her body and she collapsed to the ground.

"Lois?" He asked in a terrified voice as he crawled to her side.

She stared at his face as her limbs refused to listen to her and she became even more paralyzed. All kinds of thought rushed through her brain like her job at the Daily Planet, her dad, her mother, Lucy, Chloe, Oliver, Mr. and Mrs. Kent, even Callie. Then there were two images that popped up: one was Clark and the other was of someone in the shadows, The Blur.

"Lois?" Clark asked. "You're going to be okay," he said as he applied to her wound with his hand. "I won't let anything happen to you,"he said to her, forcing a small smile on his face that she knew was only there to try and reassure her.

The smile he gave her struck her with a strange sense of familiarity. The images intensified. The man in the darkness with the smile that was etched in her brain and the smiles Clark had given to her over the years. She used the last of her strength as she brought her fingers up to his mouth. She touched his lips and then her hand surrendered to the numbness and fell limp to her side.

"It's you." She said quietly as she stared into his watering eyes and grinned.

It was the last thing she said before she closed her eyes and slipped into unconsciousness.

~\~

Callie pre-pivoted her right foot and looked over her shoulder kicking with her left. The woman, whose dog tags revealed her as Faora, was hit in the face. The force knocked her into the air but she stopped midflight and swooped down, coming back at Callie. Rapidly throwing long fist punches at her in each direction Callie blocked each one. She tried to retaliate with her own, but Faora was able to block her moves as well.

Taking a step back to devise a plan, Faora came at her again, this time with a sharp object she had pulled from her back pocket. From the shape she could discern that it looked like a throwing star with Kryptonian symbols engraved on it. Callie flung each arm back as if she were swimming backwards as she slashed at her. Faora missed penetrating skin but did manage to slice up the shirt she was wearing. Pulling the material so she could see the damage done to the blue shirt she was wearing under one of Clark's plaid shirts, she looked up and said, "Hey! This isn't even my shirt! My aunt is gonna be pissed!"

Faora leered and then pulled out three more throwing stars. Callie's eyes widened as she threw one in her direction rapidly. Sprinting to the side she did a forward roll and dodged it. Composing herself Callie used her heat vision on Faora's hand. She screamed in pain and dropped the stars, causing a few to fall between the cracks in between the wooden boards.

"Impressive." She said trying to get her balance and cupping her hand.

"You haven't seen anything yet." Callie smirked.

Jumping into the air she kicked her foot behind her as she powerfully punched forward into Faora's chest, sending her back behind the couch and crashing through the floor of the loft. Landing, Callie was distracted as she heard Lois call out Clark's name and then watched as she went to go to try and help him.

Faora used her distraction as an advantage as she flew up through the hole, up over the couch, and tackled Callie to the floor. With a right cross, Callie punched her in the face, but Faora managed to do the same, sending Callie head into the wood and causing blood to spill from her mouth.

"You're going to regret the day that you ever crossed my path!" Faora seethed as she went to strangle her.

"Hey lady, I'm already there!" She said before she pulled herself up and head butted her.

Faora staggered back and Callie lunged for her. They both grabbed each other's shoulders and pulled at each other trying to get the upper position. The force of the rocking pulled them toward the window of the barn where they crashed through it; splintering the wood, sending chips and debris everywhere as they fell out to the ground outside.

They both landed on their feet and stared into each other's eyes contemplating their next moves.

Due to the fall, Callie's necklace had fallen out from under her shirt and glistened as the sun shined on it.

"House of El." Faora whispered glaring at it.

Callie looked down and saw the symbol on the chain that she'd worn around her neck protectively since she was thirteen. Clutching it in her hands she stood up.

Faora wielded another punch at her from Callie's left side. Callie stopped it and jabbed Faora in the face. Callie took her right leg and placed it behind Faora's legs, sweeping her to the ground. She was about to strike her while she was on the ground but Clark's voice from inside the barn distracted her.

"Lois!" She heard him call out in a panic.

Turning that direction she could see Clark over Lois' body. Turning back to Faora she saw an empty space where she had been. Scanning the barn she could see that Zod, too, was gone.

Bothered by the disappearance of both Faora and Zod she pushed the thoughts out of her mind and focused on two of the people she carried about most in the world. Running into the barn she slid on the floor to Lois' side.

"What happened!?" She asked with her eyes focused on a pale unconscious Lois on the ground.

Clark was silent as he stared at Lois. She could tell that he was in a state of shock but she needed him to concentrate. Taking him by the shoulders she forced him to look at her.

"Clark, what happened?" She cried.

"She…she tried to pull Zod off me and get me out of the way. He slashed her in the shoulder and she collapsed."

Callie looked down at Lois' shoulder and saw the cut in her shoulder, blood pouring out of it under Clark's hand. She concentrated on her heartbeat. It was weak, but it was still there.

"You have to get her out of here." She said. She wiped her face with her hands and tried to compose herself. She knew she was going to lose it any moment and be as in shock as Clark was. She turned to him and barked, "Go."

Clark nodded, knocked out of the trance he had been in. Blinking his eyes fervently he quickly lifted Lois into his arms and sped out into the distance.

Callie stood up in the center of the barn, alone and surveyed the damage. The loft was partially destroyed, wooden posts in the barn were broken in half, tools were knocked across the floor, the perfectly square window was now oblong, there was a ginormous hole in the roof again, as well as the side of the barn, and a pool of blood was just below her feet.

It was a battlefield.

She had gone from fighting herself on an internal battlefield as she watched her parents' love for each other bloom before her eyes to fighting one of the worst villains she had heard about on a quasi-battlefield in the barn.

Just the thought of him made the blood running through her veins boil. Her fists clenched tight at her sides. **Zod was still out there.**

A fire ignited in her eyes and she sped off leaving a trail of dust behind her.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Here Comes the Flood

**Chapter Sixteen:** _**Here Comes the Flood** _

Holding Lois tightly to his chest, Clark sped into the lobby of the emergency room of the Smallville Medical Center.

"I need some help here." He called out to a group of nurses at the nurses' station.

When they turned around and spotted Lois in his arms they immediately called for a doctor and rolled a gurney toward them. As they swarmed around him he laid her down and watched as they started to wheel her down the hallway and proceeded to check her. He was bombarded with questions, but he just tuned all of it out as he followed them down the hallway. Finally someone stood in his way and he would have like nothing more than to lift them up and chuck them out of his path.

"Sir, you need to tell us what happened." The person said.

Watching Lois disappear more and more out of view he turned to the nurse.

"She just collapsed. She, uh, she got a cut in her shoulder and then collapsed." He said, looking down at his hands that still had Lois' blood on them.

"I need you to stay here and fill these out." She said handing him a clipboard.

"But I want to be with her." He protested.

"Sir, I know you do, but we need you to fill these out in order for us to treat her better."

Clark took the clipboard she handed him and watched as she turned around the corridor and left. He was about to speed around himself until he heard someone call out his name from behind him.

The owner of the voice came into his view and he saw it was Callie. She had a cut above her left eyebrow, her shirt was slashed in the front, she was covered in dirt from head to toe and was clutching Lois' handbag tightly in her hand.

"Clark!" She said again. She looked down to his hands and grabbed the clipboard from him. "I'll take care of this. You go be with her."

"Thanks." He said.

Moving down the hallway he followed the sound of hectic voices. Suddenly he found himself frozen in front of a pair of double doors. He watched powerless as they patched up her shoulder. A nurse came with her chart and he could hear them question each other on her vitals, perplexed by her condition.

A doctor with dark hair, complete with a stethoscope around his neck and green scrubs pushed through the doors and towards him.

"Excuse me, Mr.— ."

"Kent." Clark provided.

"Mr. Kent. Do you by any chance know how your girlfriend got that gash on her shoulder?"

He didn't bother to correct the doctor on calling Lois his ' _girlfriend_ '. What was on his mind was trying to explain what happened to Lois without truly having to explain what actually happened to her.

"No, I'm not sure." Clark lied. "We were in the barn and I saw it on her shoulder and before I could get to her she collapsed."

"And this happened…" He pressed.

"Like five—ten minutes ago." The doctor eyed him. "I drove really fast to get here."

"Judging by the rapidness of her body shutting down it seems as if she has some sort of poison in her system. Whatever cut her may have had the substance on, hence it getting into her bloodstream, but I haven't seen one transpire in the manner that it is occurring to her."

Clark swallowed back hard knowing what the doctor was getting at.

"We have stabilized her and are running every test imaginable to try and decipher what kind of poison this is. I just want to assure you that we are doing everything we can, but if there is anything you can tell us this would be the opportune time or find the object. It could save your girlfriend's life."

' _How can I tell him that the poison is probably not even of this Earth and that's why he doesn't know what it is?'_

"I've told you everything I know."

The doctor nodded and patted him on the shoulder before he went back in the room and checked on Lois' vitals once more, drawing blood.

He again observed helpless, knowing that there was nothing he could do in that moment but watch her slip away from him.

~\~

Callie had used the information from Lois' purse and super-sped through the paperwork. She had been done in a split second, handed it off to the nurse, who was baffled that it was all finished, and used the phone at the nurses' station to call Chloe, though she couldn't quite remember what she had said. After that she went into the waiting room, sitting in one of the chairs and just stared at the floor, counting the tiles.

She had wanted to go after Zod. She had wanted to go, find him, and tear his head from his body, but she hadn't; she couldn't. So, there she was sitting in the waiting room awaiting news on her mother's condition. She thought she had been scared for those brief seconds Clark had been in the blast at the warehouse, but this was overwhelming her in a completely different way.

A part of her wanted to march down the hallway, bark orders at the doctors and orderlies, and sit with her mom, but another part of her was too scared to see her, too scared to know what was really going on. That part wanted to crawl under the chair and shun out the rest of the world.

"Callie!" She heard Chloe's voice say.

Callie got up and Chloe grabbed her into a hug. Callie could see Chloe wasn't alone when Oliver came through the doors behind her.

"What happened? All I heard was Lois, hurt, and Smallville Medical Center."

"Remember when I said it seemed like things got like a thousand times worse before? Well, bump that number up to a million."

Chloe's eyebrows furrowed as she waited for Callie to elaborate on what had happened. "I don't understand."

"Zod." Callie stated.

"Zod? _He was there_? _At the house_? _Is she_? _Is Lois_?" Chloe asked frantically.

"I don't know." Callie whispered.

The images on the television screen hanging from the ceiling in the waiting room suddenly caught her eye. She stepped away from Chloe and focused on listening to what the Sheriff had to say about the situation as the camera panned to him and to his colleagues standing behind him.

" _I will reiterate what we have already told you. As far as we know, there was a disturbance at the Luthor Mansion this morning. The suspect or suspects are still at large. Tess Mercer, CEO of Luthor Corp was not one of the bodies recovered. We believe that the perpetrators have taken her hostage. We do not have any more information at this time, but we urge the public to be on the lookout and if they have any information to contact the local authorities as soon as possible. Thank you_."

"I heard about that on the radio here. Do you think that…?" Chloe trailed off.

"Absolutely. Beheading is his M.O." Callie said.

"But what about Tess?" Oliver piped in.

"He said something about being betrayed. I think whatever deal they had fell through. When I was at the mansion, they had files on everyone, but the ones I found the most concerning were the ones of Clark, Lois, Kara, and myself."

"They had your file?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah. Good thing I smiled with my eyes in that photo." Callie smirked, trying to lighten the mood. All these terrible things were happening around them and the only way she could think of dealing with it at the moment was to crack a joke.

Chloe and Oliver just stared at her.

Snapping her fingers in a circular motion in front of her she said, "These are the jokes, people."

Chloe was about to say something to her, but her eyes gazed behind her and stared at something else. Callie turned around slowly and saw a forlorn looking Clark coming toward them.

' _Oh no.'_ She immediately thought.

"How is she?" Chloe asked.

"It doesn't look good." He said in a low voice, not making eye contact with any of them. "The poison is her system…they don't know…" he tried to get out.

"Because it's not from around here." Callie finished.

"So, what happens now?" Chloe asked.

"They have her stabilized and they've moved her to her own room now." Clark said.

"I'll call Emil and get him down here. Nothing is going to happen to Lois, Clark." Ollie said, pulling out his phone and heading outside.

"Can I see her?" Chloe asked.

"Sure." He said as he turned to lead her.

Chloe started to follow Clark, but Callie just stood there.

"Are you coming?" Chloe stopped and asked.

"I'll be right there. I just need to do something real quick."

Chloe gave her a quizzical look but instead of questioning her she followed Clark instead, which Callie was grateful for.

Looking at one of the nurses she asked, "Bathroom?"

"Around the corner and to the left," she pointed.

"Thanks."

She rushed around the corner and into the ladies' room. She got into one of the stalls closing and locking the door. Placing her back against the door she slowly began to slide down to the ground as uncontrollable sobs overcame her. The tears poured out of her and she was at the mercy of them. As the sobs began to cease she wiped her face and pulled herself off the floor.

She opened the stall door and gradually walked out and let herself catch her breath. Making her way to the sink she quickly turned the water on and splashed her face over and over desperately trying to wash away any evidence of tears.

Picking her head up she stared at herself in the mirror. "It's going to be okay." She reassured herself. "It's going to be okay."

Her lip started to tremble again, but she squeezed her eyes tight and took several breaths in an effort to stop whatever wave of emotion was brewing inside of her. Taking a deep breath she looked in the mirror and was satisfied with the way she looked.

' _I need to be the rock. It's what they need right now.'_ She coached to herself in her thoughts.

Placing a fake calming look on her face she placed her hand on the door handle and pulled the door open.

In her life she was always ready with a plan, but for the first time, in a long time, she was not completely sure of what to do next.

~\~

Chloe followed Clark as they headed down hallway after hallway to the new room the doctors had placed Lois in. Standing side by side they peered into the window and just watched her still appearance.

"That should be me in there, you know." He said.

"Clark—." She began.

"No, Zod was after **me**. And who is the one who gets hurt? She's only in there because she tried to help me and went up against Zod. I tried to tell her not to…"

"Clark, come on, this is Lois. You and I both know that when she sees someone she cares about in trouble she'll stop at nothing to help them. That's just who she is."

"But that should be me, Chloe. She doesn't deserve this." He said, shaking his head.

' _Why does he always do this?'_ Chloe thought.

"I understand Clark, but this is how it happened. We need to come together and figure out where we go from here."

She could see Clark's face become pensive and she became frustrated inside reliving moments in her mind of the past month.

"Fine. I'm going inside to be with her. Are you coming?"

"No." Was all he said.

Chloe shook her head and opened the door to Lois' room. She turned back to look at Clark but he was already gone.

Pulling a chair to Lois' bedside she sat down and grabbed her hand and held it.

"Haven't we been here before, Lo?" She cried and smiled as she rubbed her cousin's hand. "Except this time I don't have some meteor power to save you with. It's strange that for a long time I didn't want my power, but in the last month I've been wishing more than ever that it would come back."

Stroking her hand some more she couldn't hold back the new batch of tears forming any longer.

"I need you, Lo. You're my family and I need you. I've lost so much and this past month without you was so hard. Then you came back and….I don't think I can't take any more loss. Jimmy's death is still too fresh, you know. I can't lose you, too."

She wiped away the tears from her eyes with her free hand and sniffed back a few more.

"If anyone can get through this, it's you. So, you hang on, okay?" She asked.

Lois was so pale and there were dark circles forming around her eyes. Chloe closed her eyes at the sight, but tears still managed to break through, dripping down to her cheeks.

"Ms. Sullivan?"

Chloe turned to see a nurse in the doorway.

"Yeah?" She said, wiping some tears with her finger.

"I need to come to the desk and fill out some things for your cousin since you're listed as her next of kin."

"I'll be back later, Lo." She whispered.

Dropping Lois' hand she wiped her tears away again, trying to get her face as dry as possible. Slowly getting up from the chair she started to walk toward the door, desperately not wanting to leave her cousin alone. Taking one more glance at Lois, and a deep breath, she closed the hospital room door.

~\~

Clark stood in the middle of the Fortress. It had been about a week since he had been there last. He had had every intention of returning, but with Callie, and then Lois, things seemed too hectic at home for him to leave.

" _My son. Have you come back to resume your training?_ " the voice of his Kryptonian father asked.

"I can't right now. I came because I need answers." He shouted into the air.

" _Answers to what, my son_."

"Zod is somehow back on Earth. He attacked me but someone I care about, a human, got in the way. She was poisoned and I need to find a cure."

" _Zod was known to have much cleverness during his battles, poisons being one of his specialties. The resources you have on Earth are not sufficient to combat a poison of that intensity_."

"So, are you telling me that there is nothing I can do?" He shouted.

" _I am sorry, but there is no cure on Earth._ "

"No. There has to be a way! There has to be something that I can do!"

" _Do not let grief cloud your judgment, Kal-El. Your human emotions have taken over once more. You must forget this life and focus on the rest of mankind. If Zod is indeed back on Earth this planet is in great peril_."

Clark stared up in the vast ceiling and watched as flakes of snow fell around him. He wanted to let the coldness take over again. He prayed for it, but he knew he couldn't. Lois' life was endangered. Zod was still on the loose and if anyone else was infected those lives would be in danger as well.

"There has to be a way." He whispered determinedly.

~\~

Callie stared down the hallway, her foot tapping endlessly on the floor. She felt her connection to her mother as strong as ever and it was killing her.

She didn't really want to see her mother hurt or the other people she loved hurt because of seeing her mother in such a situation. Her mother had gotten hurt before, sure. She was always getting into trouble when she was searching for a juicy story, but nothing like this had occurred that she could remember.

The only thing that she could even think came close was a story she knew about concerning the day she was born. She obviously had no recollection of that day, but she recalled the pain of her father's face when he told her about a complication that had developed and, thankfully, resolved with surgical intervention. Other than that her mother always seemed lucky enough to get through things unscathed.

She didn't even know what room she was in currently, but somewhere some invisible force started to guide throughout the hospital until she was standing in front of a window peering in, a chart beside the door reading "Lane".

All sorts of things crossed her mind, all kinds of memories of her and her mom. Her mom was like her best friend and even though they fought sometimes, because they were so much alike, they always seemed to be able to work past it or anything for that matter.

Callie felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over to see Chloe standing next to her with a sad expression on her face.

"She's going to be so pissed when she finds out she's in the hospital again." Callie said.

Chloe grinned at her statement, but it quickly faded. "This has been really hard for me, but I can't even imagine how this is for you right now."

Callie tugged at her chain as they both continued to watch Lois through the glass.

"It should be me in there." Callie said.

"Like father, like daughter," Chloe scoffed. "Clark made that statement only moments ago in that very same spot."

"How is he? I haven't seen him." Callie asked, turning to Chloe.

"Honestly. I don't know. I just hope this whole incident doesn't send him spiraling back into his previous personality."

Callie didn't want that either, but in the moment she couldn't be concerned about it. The only thing she was concerned about was finding a cure for her mother. She didn't want to think of what could happen to her. She wanted her to live the life she was meant to live. She wanted her mother to experience all the memories of the both of them that were dancing in her head right then.

"You know it's weird the things that run through your mind in times like these; the memories that crash in like waves from a storm. I have all these memories of me and my mom flooding in now. At times they can seem so insignificant, but at a moment like this, they are the most important things in the world," Callie said staring through the window.

From the corner of her eye she could see Chloe intently listening so she continued.

"I remember distinctly walking down the street with my mom from the Daily Planet one day, I must have been around three, but I remember stopping in front of the window of this pet shop. In the display case were these bunnies, and I still don't know where my fascination for them came from, but I knew that I wanted one so badly." She said smiling at the recollection.

"My mom said that we couldn't get them because the apartment wouldn't be a proper place to have it. I was sad, but I kind of let it go… and by let it go I mean I pouted, crossed my arms, and was a brat for like five minutes before something else caught my eye."

Chloe smiled at the statement.

"We went to the farm the next day, I think, to see my grandma, and she told me that someone had left something for me in the barn. And then there it was. My mom had gotten one for me. I loved it so much." Callie let out a sigh, "I wanted the bunny to come home with me, but my parents said it couldn't and that's when my dad got me my special stuffed bunny who I named ' _Bunny_ '. So, how _original_ is that?"

She let the words fly out, not caring what she was saying. She just needed to get it out and she felt better in a way, but it wasn't enough. It wouldn't be enough until her mom was better.

"I bet you were really excited about all of that." Chloe said breaking through the brief silence.

"You bet." Callie said softly, still gazing through the window into the room.

"I'll be right back." Chloe said, turning away from her.

Watching Chloe walk away, she turned attention back to the window. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and walked slowly into the room. She looked at all the instruments around the bed and the different hospital devices that were hooked up to her mom. It looked like she was just sleeping, but as Callie got closer her pale complexion came into view as did the discoloration forming around her eyes and mouth which told her otherwise.

She sat down in the seat already next to the bed. Taking her mom's hand into hers she stroked it while tears welled up in her eyes. It didn't matter how much she wanted to be a rock, the tears were still coming.

' _Water beats rock, dummy.'_ She told herself.

"Hey, it's me. It's Callie." She corrected nervously.

"I just want you to know that we're going to do everything we can to find you a cure. You're going to get better, I promise." She urged as she squeezed her hand gently.

"I don't even know if you can hear me. It's just…you just have to hang on a while longer and I know you can do it because you're the strongest person I know. I know this might sound weird to you right now, but out of anyone I've ever met in my life _you have always been the strongest_. Through everything and I've **always** admired that…" Her voice cracked.

Tears fell down her cheeks and landed on their clasped hands.

"You're a **fighter** , _so fight this_. We need you... I need you… _Clark_ needs you. You have so much to live for _you don't even know_ …" she cried.

"But you just have to fight. If you fight I swear I will fight with you, right by your side, **I promise.** I will give you whatever strength you need."

Still holding her hand she stood up from the chair and kissed her cold forehead.

"Just hang on as long as you can." She whispered. She bit her lip and she began to cry again as she said, " _I love you._ "

Reluctantly she let go of her hand and walked toward the exit wiping her eyes and nose with the sleeve of the plaid shirt she was wearing.

Walking through the threshold to the hallway Callie felt a weird wave of sensations travel through her body. The wave hit her head and she held her forehead in her hand and grasped the door frame for stability.

"Hey, are you okay?" She heard Chloe ask as she walked back down the hallway towards her.

Callie felt like she couldn't breathe. She was seeing different images flow past her eyes and then…nothing. The sensation was gone and she could breathe again.

' _Whoa. That was weird.'_ She thought.

"Uh…yeah, I'm fine." She replied.

Chloe pulled something from behind her back and presented it to Callie. It was a brown bunny with a blue shirt that read ' _Some-bunny got chocolate?_ '. She didn't know why she was getting it but she was a bit amused by it.

"They only had this one in the gift shop."

Callie smiled and took the bunny and held in front of her.

"A bunny?" Callie questioned.

"Yeah, the story you told me like five minutes ago. _You saw bunnies in a pet shop window_ … _your mom got one for you_ …."

Callie eyed Chloe strangely and asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Callie, you told me the story no more than five minutes ago. You said you _distinctly_ remembered it."

Callie wrinkled her forehead in confusion as she tried to remember what Chloe was talking about. She could recall telling Chloe the story, but she couldn't remember the details, rather she couldn't see the details in any memories she had. She tried to remember other things, which she could, but only back until a certain point. It seemed as though her early childhood years were becoming a bit hazy, but one thing still was clear, Doomsday and the death of Superman.

' _How could I ever forget that?'_ She asked herself.

In the pit of her stomach, though, she feared she might. What was happening to her? She could have sworn she had many more memories. It was almost like…

' _It's like they just disappeared.'_ She thought. ' _But how?'_

Turning around she rested her forehead on the doorway and looked at the hospital bed that held her mother.

"She's dying." She whispered piecing it together.

"What? Callie, what's wrong?" Chloe asked, worried.

"I can't remember the story I told because the memory is gone."

"Gone? What do you mean **gone**?"

"It's gone. It disappeared." She turned to look at Chloe and their eyes met. "She's dying, Chloe. She's dying, albeit slowly, but she is. And the more she fades…" she trailed off.

"The more you'll fade." Chloe finished finally understanding what she was saying.

"I feel the memories just slipping away and I can't do anything about it."

She turned away from Chloe and started pacing in the hall.

"What am I going to do? What if I start to forget important things? I mean there are things that happened to me when I was young that are very important and if I forget them…"

"Whoa. Hold on." She said placing her hands on Callie's shoulders and making her face her. "What else is missing? I mean I know you won't actually know, but does it feel like a lot is gone?"

"No. Just the stuff when I was _real_ young."

"So that story happened when you were three, right?"

Callie shrugged.

" _Right_ , okay, well you told me three so that means your memories are fading in ascending order, from when you were young until your age now. If we can find a cure for Lois you'll be fine."

"And if we don't, the both of us will be gone." Callie said.

"Don't think like that." Chloe said.

Callie nodded her head. "I think I need some air." She said as she walked past Chloe as quickly as she could without using her powers.

"Callie!" She heard Chloe call after her, but she just kept walking till she was out of earshot.

~\~

Clark stood on the roof of the hospital and looked out onto Smallville. Using his super-hearing he could tell that there were no new disturbances, only the police department still looking into Tess' disappearance. Satisfied that Zod had not wreaked havoc anywhere else he banished the voice of his father telling him there was nothing he could do out of his head.

Walking back into the hospital and down the hallway he composed himself to see Lois. He wanted to let her know that he was there for her, that he was determined to save her.

He was about to walk into Lois' room when he heard someone in there say, "Lois, I love you and you're going to make it. No worries on this end. We're taking care of it."

Clark stopped in his tracks. The owner of the voice walked out and spotted him standing there.

"Hey, Clark."

"Oliver." Clark acknowledged.

"Emil came in. I tried to call you."

"I don't have my phone on me right now."

"Right, of course you don't. With all that happened, having a phone on you probably wasn't first priority," He said, probably feeling as awkward as Clark was feeling at the moment. "How are you holding up? I mean from what I heard about Zod's first coming he isn't someone you want to tango with."

"I don't think we're looking at the same guy. There was something different about him. He didn't even know who I was." Clark informed him.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"I'm not sure. All he said was that he was going to unleash his army on Earth."

"From the looks of you and Callie he unleashed on the two of you first."

"Callie held her own. She was amazing really, fighting the way she did. With everything that went on today, she's…she proved herself, you know? I know she wanted to and I saw it. I just hope she's okay now that the dust has settled. She got really close to Lois." Clark said, his eyes moving to the window.

"And what about you? You're close to Lois, too."

' _Apparently not as close as you.'_ He thought as he glared at Oliver.

"I'll be okay once we find a cure. Excuse me."

With those words, Clark moved past Ollie and into the doorway of Lois' room. He waited until Oliver was gone before he closed the door behind him wanting some privacy for them.

Sitting in the chair next to her bedside he let his face fall into his hands and then let his fingers run through his hair. Letting out a groan he looked at Lois.

"Why did you do that, Lois? You didn't need to be some kind of hero. I told you not to get involved and what did you do?"

He looked at her still form and all the anger pent up inside drained away and was replaced with sorrow. He listened as the beeping of the heart monitor echoed throughout the room. He noticed it was steady, but slow.

"Supposedly, there's nothing I can do but watch you slip away from me, but I'm not going to let that happen."

He let out a breath and cupped her hand in-between his, bringing it under his chin as he leaned closer to her. "Lois, I am so sorry."

He could feel his eyes begin to water as he strained to keep staring at her, afraid that if he closed his eyes she would disappear.

"Losing you once was hard enough…I don't think I could take it a second time."

Keeping his right hand wrapped around hers he took his left hand and stroked the hair on the side of her head.

"You have to come back to me." He whispered.

"Lois, you have to come back to me because there are things I need to say to you. You need to come back to be because I think I'm in lo—."

"Knock, knock." A voice said as the door to the room opened.

Clark turned to see a nurse coming in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I need to take her to get some more tests done."

Clark nodded, letting go of Lois' hand reluctantly and placing it back at her side. Another nurse came in and started to unhook some of the wires that were attached to Lois from the wall and began to move her bed to the door.

Pulling the one nurse aside he asked, "Do you have any idea of the results of the tests that Dr. Hamilton ran yet?"

Clark's heart sank as she replied, "They seem to be inconclusive at the moment." Trying to reassure him, she added, "But he's a really good doctor. She's in good hands."

Clark nodded and watched her leave, a piece of his hope leaving with her.

Walking back into the hallway he slumped down into a chair and closed his eyes praying to receive some sort of relief when he opened them back up.

~\~

After wandering around the hospital trying to find some privacy Callie noticed that someone had let the roof door open. Walking out, she found solace looking out from the rooftop of the hospital as the sun set over Smallville.

"At least I remember my name that has to be a good sign." She said to herself.

She leaned on the ledge of the roof and let the breeze hit her face. She closed her eyes to it and wished that when she opened her eyes that she would be home. Opening her eyes she was still in the same spot she figured she would be in.

"I knew I should have worn my red boots that morning." She mumbled. "May not have been red ruby slippers but…"

"Talking to yourself?" A voice asked from behind her.

She turned around to see Oliver leaning against the open door of the roof.

"I am my own best friend." She replied.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Do I look okay?" She asked angrily.

"Wow. Sorry, I asked."

"No, I'm sorry. I'm just having the day from hell." She said softer.

"I know what those are like." He tried to sympathize. "I did however get a bit of a kick start on the right track from a certain blue-eyed brunette not too long ago, though. Today, however, is a bit of a setback."

"Yeah, well one good swift kick in the donkey and I knew you'd be okay." She half smiled.

He smiled as he let the door close and he inched closer.

"Clark tells me that you really proved yourself today."

"He said that?" She asked, surprised.

"Yeah, you got a taste of heroism and you didn't seem to disappoint."

"Disappoint? Ha. Some hero I turned out to be. Lois is fighting for her life right now."

"It could have been worse. It could have been two against one for Clark, but he tells me that you held your own while he was off with Zod."

"Yeah, with Faora." Callie said supplying him with a name.

"Point is, it could have been worse without you there to back him up. You did everything in your power to save the both of them. Isn't that what being a hero is about?"

"I guess. I mean I always wanted the freedom to help people and fight. I got that today. It's what I wanted, but my dad never wanted me in danger. The man tells me that I can be whatever I want to be, but he didn't seem to realize what I wanted to be was like him." She confessed. "Maybe he was right."

"Nah, give him time, he'll come around. He might have already." Ollie said.

The last part peaked Callie's interest but she brushed it aside and scoffed, "That's nice of you to say, but you don't know him like I do."

"I don't know. I might know Clark a little better than you think." He smirked.

Callie's eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

"Callie, I know."

Callie spun around like a dog chasing its tail as she tried to look over her shoulder to her back. "Do I have a sign on my back?" She asked as she tried to reach behind her, "or is it just written on my forehead?"

Oliver smiled. "You and Clark are wearing matching facial expressions; it's kind of hard to miss. Plus, there are other clues that I picked up on. When you kicked me, I opened my eyes at first and thought you were Lois. Then when you were talking to me yesterday you sounded eerily like Clark. Add Zatanna and Chloe's slip of the tongue of you being from the future into the mix and it all clicked."

"Gee, thanks Chloe." She said rolling her eyes.

"It's not her fault."

" _I guess_. I've sort of slipped here and there too since I've been here."

"So again, now that you know that I know… Truthfully, how are you?"

Tears returned Callie's eyes as she thought about the situation again.

"I'm losing my mind, Ollie."

"Understandable." He nodded.

"No, you don't get it. I'm literally losing my mind. Every second that Lois goes by without a cure, she's dying and so am I. My memories are disappearing with ' _every turn for the worse'_ she has."

Concern came over his face and he said, "Dr. Hamilton is doing everything that he can—."

"Yeah, but it won't be enough." She interrupted. "You and I both know that Clark has probably scoured the Earth ten times over trying to find a cure. I know him well enough to know that he would have gone up to see Jor-El up at the North Pole and if he didn't come back with answers from there then I don't know where to go from here."

Callie shook her head in disbelief and sniffed back some tears.

"I can remember all the way back to when I was five now, but even that is starting to become foggy."

"Then don't let it."

"That's what I'm trying to figure out, Einstein." She retorted and then softly said, "Sorry."

Oliver rolled his eyes and muttered something that she didn't quite catch.

"What I mean is that when people don't want to forget something, they write it down."

"So I should, what? Write down all my memories?"

"All the important ones, anyway."

"You might be onto something there." She nodded.

' _If I can write down all my important memories, hopefully I'll be able to trigger some kind of emotion even if I do forget.'_ She thought.

"Hey, that's what I'm here for."

"I know. You're always there." She said her voice cracking a bit.

Oliver stared at her silently. He seemed a bit awkward on how he should approach her but ultimately he came to her and pulled her into a hug.

"It's going to be okay. Your mom, she's a fighter."

"I know that." She nodded into his chest. "I'm just scared that somehow I'll forget everything. Forget all about them, all about my life and just fade away."

"You won't."

"I promised her that I'd fight with her." She cried a bit.

"And you'll keep that promise."

"Yeah, well, I also promised myself I wasn't going to cry and now that's been shot to hell." Callie said pulling away and wiping her eyes and nose again.

"How about we go see how she's doing, huh?"

Callie nodded as she followed him into the building and down the hallway of Lois' room. Though there were many doctors and nurses walking around she could make out Clark in one of the chairs against the wall across from the room. He looked like he was asleep and relaxed. She hoped whatever he was dreaming was something wonderful and a good contrast to what reality was dealing them.

"Oh good, you're here." A man with curly dark hair and black glasses said as he came toward them.

' _Dr. Hamilton.'_ Callie thought.

"The test results that have come back are still inconclusive. I'm hoping that there is some way I can get this poison and view it alone instead of in Lois' bloodstream."

"Emil, I have no idea on how to get it." Oliver said.

Callie thought back to the fight she had with Faora and could visibly see one of the throwing stars she had fall through the cracks in the wooden planks of the loft.

"I think I might be able to get that sample, Doc."

"Should we wake Clark?" Oliver asked.

"No, he looks peaceful right now. I don't want to ruin that for him." She looked at the both of them and said, "I'll be right back."

Walking around the corner she looked to make sure no one was around and that she was out of view of any security cameras. Super-speeding out of the hospital she stopped in the center of the barn and looked toward the damaged loft.

"Now where did that party favor fall to?"

Seeing something silver and metallic poking out from underneath the rubble she carefully extracted it, making sure she didn't cut herself in the process.

"There you are."

As she was about to speed back she heard a voice call, "Kal-El!"

Looking up she saw a blonde haired woman in red and blue standing in the middle of the loft.

"What happened here? Where's Ka—Clark?" She asked.

Callie just stared at the woman. ' _Aunt Kara.'_ She thought.

Blinking a few times she broke her thoughts and focused on the questions she had just asked. She walked up the stairs, skipping the broken steps, and stood before her aunt.

"Clark is at the hospital."

"What? Why?" She asked, alarmed.

' _Mind as well just blurt it out, there's no time.'_

"Because Lois got hurt while we were fighting Zod and Faora."

" _Zod and Faora?_ They're here? How?" She asked, taking a step closer.

"Not really sure, but there's no time for that." Holding up the throwing star she said, "Zod had some kind of poison on his weapon. Lois got it in her bloodstream and we need to find a cure."

Kara frowned, "If Zod used a poison then the only cure that could be found would have been on Krypton."

Callie rolled her eyes and scoffed, "How convenient."

Staring back at the throwing star in her hand she felt the blood in veins begin to boil and thought, ' _He's going to pay for this.'_

"Who are you anyway and _is that my shirt_?" She asked, crossing her arms against her chest.

Callie looked up and their eyes met, almost a mirror of each other's.

' _Oh crap, she doesn't like it when people touch her stuff.'_ She thought.

"A friend. I'm a friend." Then Callie pulled at the material that was slashed. "And, yeah, sorry about this. I will totally get you a new one!" She assured her.

"A friend?" Kara asked.

"Yeah, a friend who needs to get back to the hospital ASAP. Are you coming with?" She asked.

"I think I'll stick around here. Maybe I can trace where Zod and Faora went."

"Okay." Callie nodded. "We're at the Smallville Medical Center."

She saw Kara nod and then look at the devastation of the barn. Not wanting to get preoccupied with thoughts of the familiar face of a family member she focused back on the crisis at hand. Walking down the steps she made sure she was out of Kara's view and in a flash, she was gone.

~\~

_Clark felt fingers playfully inching up his chest as a voice sang "Small-ville" into his ear. He smiled as he turned and opened his eyes to the face the voice was coming from._

" _You want something, Lois?"He asked, unable to conceal his smile._

_She smiled back at him as her dark hair fell into her face._

" _I think you know what I want." She said in a low sultry voice._

" _I think so, too." He said as he captured her lips with his._

_She brought her hands to his face as he shifted in the bed until he was above her. Removing his lips from hers he placed them instead on her neck as he trailed down kisses to her shoulder. He felt her giggle underneath him and as he lifted his head she smiled and said, "It tickles." He brushed his lips past hers as he grinned then returned to the spot he was at before._

_He could hear her moan his name as her fingers glided through his hair. Lifting his eyes to her face he could see her watching him, desire engulfed in her eyes. She was beautiful._

" _What?" She asked, catching her breath as her arms were secured around his neck._

_He moved up her body and leaned his forehead against hers._

" _I don't want to lose you."_

" _You won't lose me, Smallville."_

_Clark lifted his hand and cupped the side of her face. He had to tell her. He had to tell her now before it was too late. This was the perfect time, the perfect place, and he was happy. He had to tell her._

" _Lois, I lo—"_

_The words didn't make it out however as Lois turned her head and looked towards the window._

" _Did you hear that?" She asked._

_Clark shook his head 'no'. Lois moved out from under him and pushed the comforter away as she made it closer to the window._

" _I swear if it's the damn rooster again you better barbeque him with your heat vision."_

_Clark chuckled at her comment. His eyes followed her as she got further away from him. Then a sudden tug in the pit of his stomach told him that she shouldn't be away from him. Something bad was going to happen._

" _Lois, why don't you come back to bed?" He asked, a bit nervous._

_She turned to him a bit annoyed. "I'm just going to the window, don't be such a Nervous Nancy."_

_As her hand reached the curtain she pulled it back to reveal a bright light. The light overwhelmed the room and Clark lifted his arms to shield his eyes. The light then disappeared, but Clark quickly noticed Lois disappeared with it._

" _No. Lois!" He called out as he ran to the window._

_He pulled the heavy curtain back as he stared into the glowing abyss._

" _LOIS!" he screamed._

Clark was startled awake by a hand on his shoulder.

"Lois?" he asked.

"No, it's just me." He heard Callie say.

Clark gazed around the room taking in the environment. They were in the hallway of the hospital. He must have dozed off as they awaited the results from the numerous tests the doctors had been running on Lois. He looked up at Callie. She looked as bad as he probably did. Her face was drawn and pale and he could tell that she had been crying. He stared at the floor for a few seconds and then down the hallway, trying to avoid looking at her.

He felt Callie sit down next him, but he couldn't find his voice to say anything.

"I know that this is hard, but she'll be okay. She has to be."

Clark turned his head toward her.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to her." She continued.

"I'm not either." He said.

Then she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I know you don't know anything about my life and what I've been through, but let me assure you, each time it's turned out okay. There's a cure out there and we're going to find it, no matter what and no matter where."

"I think we already have." A voice said next to them.

Clark lifted his eyes up to meet familiar blue ones looking back. ' _Kara?'_

"I couldn't stop thinking about what happened to Lois and I might know where you can find a cure for her, but you're not going to like it." Kara said to the both of them.

"Where?" Clark demanded as he stood up.

"The Phantom Zone."


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Dustland Fairytale

**Chapter Seventeen:** _**Dustland Fairytale** _

After dropping off the sample to Dr. Hamilton, Callie stood and watched the sleeping form of her father for a few more seconds. She hated to wake him up, but with Kara popping up she knew that he had to know.

Placing her hand on his shoulder he jolted awake saying, "Lois?"

"No, it's just me." She said.

He stared at her for a bit then turned away from her, avoiding her gaze. She sat down next to him and said, "I know that this is hard, but she'll be okay. She has to be."

She was trying to assure him that everything would be alright. In the process she was trying to assure herself of the same thing, but she knew that they could do it together.

He turned his head toward her and she continued, "I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

"I'm not either." He said.

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I know you don't know anything about my life and what I've been through, but let me assure you, each time it's turned out okay. There's a cure out there and we're going to find it, no matter what and no matter where."

"I think we already have." A voice said next to them.

Snapping her head in the direction the voice came she noticed Kara standing in the hallway.

"I couldn't stop thinking about what happened to Lois and I might know where you can find a cure for her, but you're not going to like it." Kara said to the both of them.

"Where?" Clark demanded as he stood up.

"The Phantom Zone." Kara replied.

"I'm sorry; did you just say Phantom Zone?" Callie blinked. "The place where you go to play a rousing game of ' _I'm a Kryptonian Get Me Out of Here'_?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so how do we get there? Where do we find it once we're there?" Callie asked quickly, wanting to get the information as fast as possible.

She looked to Clark with hopeful eyes but his head was still down and she couldn't see any sign of relief or hope in him.

"Clark? Come on, when is the train to the Phantom Zone leaving the station?"

"It doesn't." He said sadly.

"What do you mean it doesn't?" She asked, confused.

"We have no way of getting to the Phantom Zone."

"Kal-El, isn't there a crystal?" Kara asked.

"It was destroyed."

"No, I'm sorry, that answer isn't good enough." Callie said.

Clark whipped his head to Callie and stared into her eyes. "There's no other way there."

"Well, I don't believe you." She then turned to Kara. "Where do we find the cure?"

Kara's eyes darted to Clark's then back to hers. She took a deep breath and said, "There's a plant in the Phantom Zone. The nectar of it holds key enzymes and minerals that can be made into an antidote. In a Kryptonian it could take an hour for the poison to take full effect and kill, I don't know the time span for a human."

"A plant, huh? Plants grow in the Phantom Zone?"

"Not many. Just certain Kryptonian plants that are used to that environment, sort of like a cactus in the desert here on Earth."

"Or like moss and lichen in the tundra, I get it. So, do you have a vicinity of where we find the plant."

"Callie…" Clark said.

"Don't." She snapped. "I'm not giving up that easily."

"I never said I was." He snapped back.

"Guys! Please." Kara said, trying to get into the middle and calm them both down.

"Good, you're awake." A voice said from behind Callie and Clark.

She turned around to see Dr. Hamilton with a clipboard in his hand and a solemn look on his face.

"I ran tests on the sample that I received from Callie here. I'm afraid there isn't much I can do with it. From what I can discern it most resembles organophosphate insecticides, however the elements of it are quite foreign as we expected. It was a clear, odorless liquid we found on the weapon and the symptoms that Lois has been showing, the paralysis, the loss of consciousness I had to guess I would say it was —."

"Sarin." Callie breathed out.

"Precisely." Dr. Hamilton said, surprised.

"Sarin?" Clark questioned.

"It's a chemical nerve agent or chemical warfare. It makes sense. I mean he has a military mind. He used his own kryptonian batch of Sarin as a battle tactic." Callie explained.

' _General Grandpa's lessons to the rescue. And Mom and Dad said it wouldn't be put to good use.'_

"How do you know this?" Kara asked.

"I just do." She snapped, not wanting to deal with the questions.

From the corner of her eye she saw Oliver and Chloe coming their way.

"Guys, what's going on?" Chloe asked, reaching the circle they had formed in the hallway.

"We found a cure." Callie said.

Chloe beamed, "That's great! Where?"

"The Phantom Zone."

The smile from her face quickly dissipated. "Phantom Zone?" She looked to Clark then looked to the ground. "Of course, the one door we don't have a key to."

"What is it with you people? Just because there is no stupid crystal doesn't mean there isn't another way! And you know what? I'm going to find it. So, fine, you can go with 'Mutton Chops' over there" she turned to Emil and said, "no offense" then turned back to everyone else and continued, "and watch her die, but I'm not going to."

"Callie!" Chloe and Clark both said at the same time.

They both looked at each other and Callie knew they both had different reasons for calling her back. Callie stopped, licking her lips she took a breath and turned back.

"We leave in ten minutes." Clark said and then turned and walked away from the circle.

Chloe watched him go and then walked to Callie pulling her way from the crowd. As she did so heard Emil turn and ask Ollie, "Are they really mutton chops?" She couldn't help but crack a smile at that.

"Are you crazy? You can't go to the Phantom Zone." She said.

"No, it makes the most sense. Don't you see? I'm the sand in the hourglass. The only way we'll know how much time we have left is if I go."

"I don't like this."

"You don't have to like it."

"But what about your… _condition_?"

Suddenly Oliver's voice rang in her head.

" _What I mean is that when people don't want to forget something, they write it down."_

" _So I should, what? Write down all my memories?" She asked._

" _All the important ones, anyway."_

"Give me a second, I have a plan."

Callie turned around and headed to the nurses' station. Seeing no one behind the desk at the moment she leaned over and pulled out some paper and a pen. Sitting in the seat that Clark was previously sitting in she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She could tell that Chloe was still watching her, but she blocked her out. Letting her mind go blank she called for her most important memories that she could remember to come to her.

She could see her brother. He was shorter than her but he was growing quick. He had eyes like her dad, brown hair, and had a plaid shirt on under a brown coat. He smiled and waved at her in her thoughts.

Uncapping the pen she wrote:

_Chris – Little brother. Loves baseball and going to games in Milwaukee with Dad. Nobody he'd rather go with. Bugs you endlessly but you would do anything for him. Look out for him all the time. Not as outgoing as you are. More passive and secluded like Dad._

As her brother's image disappeared, next she could see a little girl, around seven with dark, raven short hair and dark eyes staring back at her. The girl then transformed into her more familiar form as an eighteen year old.

" _Hey amiga." She said and smiled._

Callie opened her eyes and wrote down: _Helena Wayne, met her when I was seven. Best friend. Lost Mom at a young age. You're her shoulder to lean on. Terrible twosome. Always getting into trouble. Have the best time together._

Another friend then came to her mind. _Connor Hawke: Surrogate older brother. Always looks out for you and helps when you need it._

He was always her shoulder to lean on when she needed it and she knew that could really use it during this whole ordeal.

Finishing writing down that memory she tried to move back further. She remembered being at the zoo with her family when she was around six. Her mom was pushing around a stroller with her new baby brother and they were in the reptile house.

" _Mommy look, whitesnake!"_ _She exclaimed._

The image fleeted and she was then next to a pond with a variety of ducks. Her father was behind her pointing to a duck that had a blue beak. Suddenly she heard:

" _Quack."_

_Callie turned around._

" _Daddy! That was you."_

" _No, it wasn't."_

_Callie turned around and threw some bread into the water, enjoying the race the ducks were having in order to get to it._

" _Quack!"_

_Callie smiled, whipped her head around and was nose to nose with her father._

" _Daddy, that was you!"_

_He shook his head and smiled, "No, it wasn't."_

_Callie squinted her eyes at him and slowly turned around but kept watching him out of the corner of her eye._

" _Quack!" She heard once more._

" _I saw you! You did it!"She squealed._

_He smiled brightly as he pulled her close and started to tickle her._

" _No, I didn't."He said as he continued to tickle her._

_Callie started to squirm and was uncontrollably laughing. "Yes….you…did…" she managed to say between laughs and sounds of delight._

_He finally stopped and held her. "Okay, you caught me."_

" _See!"_

" _Hey, you two. Chris is starting to get a little restless here, I think we should keep moving. It's almost lunch time." Her mother called out from the pathway._

_Her father extended his hand and she took it._

The memory ended there. She quickly wrote down everything she could remember and all the feelings that went along with it.

Many memories started to flood her mind and she did her best to write down all the ones that meant something special to her. There was learning to drive the truck on the farm at fourteen, where she barely missed hitting her dad when she was backing it up when they were done. She chuckled at the thought of the look on his face and how he mumbled that she was just like her mother.

There was of course the times she spent on the farm with her grandmother and learning to ride horses at age seven.

She recalled wanting to learn how to defend herself when she was ten years old. She had this underlying fear that one day her powers would vanish and she definitely wanted to be prepared if that situation ever arose. Different members of the Justice League helped her "secretly". Although he protested at first, that was the age Oliver taught her to use the bow and arrow for the first time. She could still feel it underneath her fingertips.

Thinking of combat, her memories brought her to outings to the base and being with her grandfather **,** learning different techniques and jargon there with him. She also recalled going through a so-called "boot camp" with Chris and beating all the guys in arm wrestling contests.

She wrote down Doomsday and the fateful day she learned that her father wasn't coming home. A giant asterisk went next to that memory. It was the memory she feared most of all of losing. The memory that gave her edge, her purpose for being fierce and wanting to protect her family as much as she did.

Various villains came to her mind as well. Not only did Doomsday haunt her thoughts, but there was Toyman, Granny Goodness, and Darkseid to name a few. She wrote them down and shuddered as she did so.

Sniffing back she wrote down a phrase that she and her father used to say when she was little to each other when he would leave and smiled remembering all the times they said it to each other. After that she wrote down any and everything she could recall before they had to leave. Satisfied with all the memories she was able to get out and pulled out the other piece of paper.

At the top she began to write, "Dear Clark,"

~\~

Clark stood at Lois' bedside and just watched her in her unconscious state.

"I'm sorry, Kal-El." He heard Kara say from behind him.

He nodded, acknowledging her words but he just continued to stare.

"How far do we have to go in the Phantom Zone?" He asked.

"From what I remember the plant is located near the center. It will be tough to get to. I'll draw you a map."

"How far is it from the gateway?"

"Far."

He nodded again and turned to her.

"Thank you."

She placed a hand on his shoulder, he knew she was trying to be sympathetic but not knowing how to do so.

"Do you want me to come with you?" She asked.

"No, you stay here. If he strikes again…" he trailed off.

"I'll be ready." He could see her eyes go to Lois' bed and then back to his. "He'll pay."

"I should go." He said softly.

With one last look at Lois he willed himself to leave her side and use all that he felt for her to find the cure so she could live.

~\~

Callie took a deep breath and reread the letter she had just written. She had taken an envelope from the nurses' desk as well and placed the letter in it. She wrote the name Clark on it and held it tightly in her hand as she folded up her memory papers and placed those in her back pocket.

"So what exactly have you been doing for these last ten minutes?" Chloe asked leaning against the wall.

"I wrote down every important memory I could think of. That way if I forget it I have something to keep me going."

"I see. Are you really sure that you want to go into the Phantom Zone, though? I've never been there personally, but I know enough to know that it's a harsh environment. You won't have your powers."

"I know that, too. I've heard all the stories." She informed her.

Callie knew exactly what was installed for her. She knew exactly what she had to do.

"There's something else though, isn't there? Something that you're keeping to yourself? You have another reason for going other than being the timekeeper."

Callie nodded. "I know enough to know that when you go to the Phantom Zone you need to implement the buddy system. Only thing is that usually one buddy gets left behind in order to save the other."

Chloe's eyes widened. "Callie, you can't be serious about this."

"I got my guy on track, that's what matters. As long as he comes back and saves Lois and stays on the same heading then it doesn't matter what happens to me. I'll still be born, I'll still live eighteen years of my life. Besides, wouldn't you risk your life to save the people you love?"

" _But_ …" She said, shaking her head.

"No buts. Here." She said handing the envelope to Chloe.

"What's this?"

"It's for Clark. He'll need to read it."

Chloe took the envelope with a shaking hand. She shook her head and said, "I can't believe this."

"Thank you, for everything." Callie said sadly. "Just be careful, okay? Things can get dangerous out there."

Chloe gave her a perplexed look, but Callie deflected it as she pulled her into a quick hug then let her go.

' _I wish I could tell you everything, Chloe. You have no idea.'_

She turned around and walked down the hallway. She felt like she was walking in slow motion away from a stunned Chloe. She knew this had to be done though. It was the only option at the moment and she would do anything if it meant saving Lois Lane and saving the future of her family and the world.

Walking into Lois' room one last time she closed the door and stood beside the hospital bed.

"I don't have much time left before I have to leave, but I wanted to come here and say goodbye."

Her eyes started to water, but she did her best to hold them back.

"We found a cure for you. Clark and I are on our way to get it so you just hang on a bit longer, okay?" She walked closer and said, "I might not ever get to say this, it's going to sound really strange, but I hope somehow you remember or pass it along to the future or something." She took a breath and continued, "What I want to say is... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for not listening when I was told that I shouldn't fight. I'm sorry that I've put myself in situations where I've almost gotten myself killed and made _everyone_ worry. I'm sorry for all the times I was a complete brat. I'm sorry for not doing the dishes when I was asked, or I didn't take the garbage out even though it was _totally_ Chris's turn. I'm sorry for all the stupid things I ever did."

She was bawling her eyes out and kept trying to sniff them back but to no avail.

"I am so sorry." She took her hand and squeezed.

She started to back away and stood behind the door looking in the hallway. Quietly she said out of earshot, "But you have to know that you are the best mother that I could have ever asked for. Trying to follow dad's footsteps is really just following yours, too. You've always been the strongest, no superpowers needed. You've always had my back. And now I have yours."

She walked back over to the bed. " I am so grateful for you that you don't even know. _That's why I have to do this_."

With one last squeeze of her hand and one last sniff she smiled at her unconscious mother.

"See you soon." She whispered, her voice cracking.

With that she exited the room, wondering if that would be the last image of her mother that she'd ever see.

*/*

Walking back into the hallway she saw the whole grouping standing there waiting for her.

"You ready?" Clark asked.

Callie nodded.

Walking to a secluded place where they weren't seen they both sped back to the farm. Coming to the side door Callie spotted a box on the porch and picked it up.

"You expecting a package?"

Clark turned to her and took the box. "No."

Opening the door he placed the box on the island. Ripping the tape off the top he opened it up and lifted out a portable DVD player and black case. Folding the screen of the DVD player up he pressed the play button and an image of Tess Mercer graced the screen.

"If you are seeing this now it means that I'm probably dead. I made sure that if anything happened to me that you would get this, Clark. I know you're probably wondering why I'm recording a message for you, but it is of great importance. When taking over as CEO of Luthor Corp I came into possession of many artifacts owned by Lex. One of these artifacts was an orb that was found near the excavation site when I was searching for him. This orb was a prized possession and I studied it with great interest."

She took a breath and continued, "Then it then began to do something extraordinary, Clark. It was able to give me instructions on how to save mankind. I was informed that if you defeated the beast I would be able to save a civilization. That's why I took your crystal. I was ordered to destroy it and even though I followed the orders of the orb, that was one I did not abide by."

Callie took the black case off the island and opened it to reveal a black crystal.

"Ask and you shall receive." She said.

"You defeated the beast and because of that the orb opened up and out came two people. Their names are Zod and Faora. They are searching for a way to release the rest of their people. I fear that I made a mistake in doing this and that I made a mistake in following those orders. If my fears are right the world is in danger and you will need that crystal. That's why I sent it along with this."

On the screen she shook her head and said, "I never intended for this to happen, Clark, you have to believe me. I wanted you to become the hero you are destined to be. Hopefully with this crystal you can be the hero at the end of this story. I may have had a tragic end, but the world still has you. Good Luck."

The DVD stopped and the screen turned to black. Callie and Clark both hung their heads at Tess' possible final farewell. There were too many depressing events happening at once, that Callie felt a knee jerk reaction to cut through the tension with humor.

"A talking orb? I'm sorry, but if an orb started talking to me I'm pretty sure I wouldn't listen to it." Callie tried to joke but the stern look on Clark's face told her that he wasn't in the mood. "Okay, not the time for jokes, got it."

"I need to get the key from the barn." He said.

"Key?"

"To get to the Fortress. Just taking precautions."

"Right."

She went over to the cabinet under the sink and pulled out some small jars and then proceeded to empty Clark's red backpack.

She looked up at him and said, "We'll need this for transport."

He nodded and headed for the outside.

Following Clark's lead she closed the case and held it closely to her chest and walked to the barn. She watched as he walked behind some bales of hay and moved some over to get to a secret door in the floor underneath a rug.

While waiting for him the faint sound of giggling tugged at her ear. Turning toward the sound she saw two figures jumping up and down in the loft. As she got closer she could make them out and realized that the figures were of her and Helena as little girls dancing around, their hair whipping in their faces and flowing in the air. She smiled remembering being so happy and carefree back then.

" _Are you sure this is safe?"_ A little boy's voice called from behind her.

She turned to see her brother high up on the other side of the loft as a slightly older version of her moved hay directly under him.

" _I do this all the time. I promise, nothing will happen. Just jump."_

" _Okay, here I come!"_ _he said and jumped into the piles of hay._

The image began to fade and then she heard her own voice say, " _What does the carburetor do?"_

Turning around she saw herself at twelve sitting on the work bench while her dad worked on the tractor.

" _What's with this sudden interest?"_

_She shrugged her shoulders. "I just want to know…you know. In case you're not around, I can do it."_

_Tilting his head to the side he sighed._

" _Cal, you're not worrying about that again are you? I know the news was talking about it again, but I'm not going anywhere. That was a long time ago."_

_Callie nodded. "I know. It's just, you do get called away sometimes. And what if something happens and Grandma needs it and you're busy saving the world… I want to be able to help." She said staring at him._

" _You're not going to let this go until I tell you, are you?"_

" _Nope."She said, swinging her legs against the bench._

 _With a defeated sigh and slight chuckle he explained, "It controls the fuel_. _There is a little screw, see it right here?" he asked pointing to it, "If you turn it in, it allows more fuel into the engine. Got it?"_

" _Got it."She smiled._

The image again faded and all she saw was an empty workbench. She sighed sadly and bit the inside of her cheek.

"You ready?" She heard Clark's voice ask.

Composing herself she turned around and said, "Lead the way."

*/*

Suddenly she felt the cold nip at her face and noticed they had arrived in the Arctic. Gripping the case close to her chest she followed Clark as he walked further into the Fortress. She gazed at all the crystals that made it up. It wasn't as bright and as inviting as it usually seemed. It was a bit dark and some of the crystals were blackened. For her this place had always been a castle, but from what she could tell it was dark and vandalized as it sat stranded in the Arctic.

"Over here." She heard Clark say as he headed for the console.

" _What has brought you here, my son?"_ She heard the voice of Jor-El say.

Callie was startled at first when she heard the voice. She looked up to the ceiling and wondered if he knew she was there, if he knew who she was. Suddenly there was a knot forming in her stomach. The last thing she needed was to be outed before going to the Phantom Zone.

"You told me there wasn't a cure on Earth for the poison. I found out there is one in the Phantom Zone. Why didn't you tell me?" He screamed into the air.

" _The Phantom Zone is a prison for those who have broken laws. It is not a place for you, my son. It is dangerous. I could not risk you going there."_

"Well, I am. If it means saving a life and potentially saving the lives of others I'm going."

Callie stayed quiet hoping her silence would make her presence invisible. She handed Clark the case and watched as he opened it up and gazed at the crystal. He took a deep breath and extracted the crystal from its haven. Gripping it in his hand he stabbed it forcefully into the console.

Callie felt a rush of energy blast throughout the Fortress. The console turned red and a vortex formed behind them. It captivated her eyes as she stared into it. Once she stepped in there would be no turning back. This was it for her, she knew that.

" _I wish you luck on your journey, Kal-El. To the both of you..."_

Callie's head snapped up when she heard Jor-El voice her presence. Her eyes retreated from the ceiling and instead met Clark's eyes. He extended his hand to hers and her lips tugged into a slight smile at the side of her face.

Grabbing it tightly, they walked into the entrance to the Phantom Zone together, hand in hand.

~\~

Chloe paced outside of Lois' hospital room as she thought about what Callie said to her. Looking down she glanced at the envelope that was still in her hand. She was tempted to read it, to know what exactly Callie was going to say to Clark, if she would reveal who she truly was, but she extinguished the feeling.

Watching Callie leave and walk away, she was nagged with the thought that it could have been the last time she would ever see her. She didn't want to be despondent, but there was nothing in that moment that could keep her from looking at it any other way. Callie was willing to sacrifice herself to make sure her family was safe. She never saw more of Lois and Clark in her than she did in that moment.

"Where did Kara go?" She heard Oliver ask.

"Patrol." She said quietly.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just worried about them, about Lois."

"I wouldn't be too worried. We have both Callie and Clark out there, I think we're safe. Besides, I think Callie is pretty motivated to make sure that Lois is okay."

"What do you mean by that?" She said looking him in the eye.

"Let's just say Callie and I had a bit of a talk on the roof and her origins were discussed."

"You know?" She asked, surprised.

"Sort of hard to miss. I mean, Clark's powers and Lois' personality…that's a pretty lethal combination. I'm happy she's on our side."

Chloe smiled at that. "Yeah, she's a bit of a spitfire."

"A bit?" He asked, his eyebrows elevating as he cocked his head to the side.

As Chloe started to feel the load lift a little, the erratic sound of beeping from Lois' room sent her back on her downward spiral.

Running into the room she witnessed Lois in convulsions as her heart monitor started to spike unevenly. She heard Oliver call for a doctor as she ran over to Lois' side and tried to keep her body steady.

"Lois, please, come on, don't do this." She cried.

A wave of hospital workers rushed in. Dr. Hamilton was among the throng of people and quickly injected something into Lois, to sedate her Chloe assumed. Her body started to settle down until she was completely still.

"What happened?" She asked.

"It's common in this kind of poison that the body reacts in a series of convulsions." Emil said.

"A series? So it will happen again?"

"I'm afraid so."

Chloe nodded as she stared at the ground. She bit down hard on her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. She didn't know how much more she could take from this.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Chloe. It's not looking good right now, but we're still doing the best we can."

Chloe lifted her eyes to his and stared at him blankly. She was numb. She watched him walk away from her and to Oliver informing him on what just happened, but she focused her attention on Lois.

"Everybody needs you, Lo." Chloe cried. "Please, keep fighting, please," she urged.

Walking over to the window she let her head fall back and sighed. Leaning up against it she looked out the blinds and looked up at the full moon. Closing her eyes she prayed for a miracle to come.

"Please get here quickly, she needs you." She whispered.

~\~

Feeling the sand and dirt beneath his body, Clark awoke to find that he was indeed in the Phantom Zone. Lifting his body up he spotted Callie a few feet away from him, her eyes closed. Getting over to her he lightly nudged and called her name. Her eyes flew open and she quickly sat up, taking in her surroundings.

"So, this is the Phantom Zone, huh? Nice." She said sarcastically.

As he stood up he extended his hand. She grabbed onto it and he pulled her up. As she dusted off her clothes she looked up to him and asked, "So where do we go from here?"

"Kara gave me this map," he said pulling out a folded paper from his jean pocket, "and told me that it was in the central part of the Zone."

"How far from the gateway?"

"Far." He replied.

"I'm guessing there aren't any signs that say 'Cure to Zod's Poison This Way'?"

"Afraid not." He looked down at the map, "Come on, this should be the right direction." He said as trudged across the ground.

The last time he had been in the Phantom Zone he had received the crystal to rebuild the Fortress in an anonymous box. Unlucky for him the crystal brought him to the Zone and Lois along with him. They had made it through okay, Lois was able to hold her own, but he had been determined to get her out of there, which he had done.

He and Kara almost didn't make it out themselves since he wasn't going to leave her behind, but surprisingly they had made it back. It hadn't been the best way to make it back home since it involved an infected Chloe using powers through Brainiac, but still, there had been a way. Looking at Callie, he was sure they were going to make it out of this, Lois would be saved, and all would be right in the world.

' _You keep telling yourself that.'_ He thought.

After walking for what seemed like hours he heard Callie's voice behind him call out,  
"You don't suppose there's a Wendy's or a Taco Bell around here, huh?"

Turning around Clark glared at her.

"Didn't think so." She said losing breath as they kept walking. "I knew we should have brought snacks for this." She mumbled.

"We just have a little longer to go." He said, trying to reassure the both of them.

"Are you sure that map is accurate? Cause it feels like we're just licking our finger and placing it in the air to find a direction."

He stopped and turned around. ' _Maybe it wasn't a good idea coming with her.'_

"You want the truth?" He asked as the wind picked up and the sand started flying in the air.

"No. I don't. Let's just keep moving." She said, trying to go past him.

"Why?" He asked curiously.

"Because, I'm foolish like that. Long brown hair and foolish eyes, that's me. So, let's move."

He watched in awe as she moved ahead of him. Maybe it was better she was here with him after all.

~\~

Feeling her face and lips had become even drier; Callie shook her head of thoughts of a much needed beverage and kept moving. The quicker they got the plant, the quicker they would get out of the wasteland and back home where she knew she would probably drink a gallon jug of water.

She looked back to see Clark behind her. Without powers in this place it was hard to keep up, but with both of them determined she figured it wouldn't be much of a factor. Hiking along the barren ground she couldn't believe all the sand and dirt she was getting in her boots.

"That's going to be so annoying to get rid of." She whispered to herself.

Walking forward stepped into a particular patch of sand that didn't feel like the others. Suddenly she felt trapped. Trying to pull herself out only made it worse and realized not only was she trapped, but she was sinking as well.

"Clark!" She called out in panic.

"Callie!" He yelled as he ran to her.

He stopped before getting too close, not wanting to suffer the same fate.

"Reach for my hand!" He yelled as he extended it to her.

She tried to reach, but she couldn't reach. Fear started to take over and she pulled her hand back and clutched it to her chest.

"I can't!" She screamed. He inched closer to her but Callie protested. "No, don't! Don't risk yourself getting sucked into it, too!"

"I'm not leaving you. **Grab my hand**!"

He extended his hand again and Callie closed her eyes as she went to reach for him. She felt his fingertips touch hers and then felt as he grasped her wrist tightly.

Her fingers attached around his arm and gripped the material of his red jacket. Her feet started to kick, desperately trying to escape but in doing that she felt the sand tighten around her.

"Clark! It's getting worse!"

" _Just…hang…on..."_ he said as he tried to pull her out. "Don't move. Don't try and fight it."

She nodded and obeyed, letting her body go limp.

"Don't let me go." She said. "Don't let me go, don't let me go."

With one good yank of her arm she felt freedom in her legs as she fell to the ground, Clark collapsing next to her breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" he asked, gasping for breath.

She felt tears stinging her eyes so she kept them closed and buried her forehead into the sand like an ostrich. Trying to compose her breathing she turned her head to the side and replied, "Yeah, I'm fine."

' _I thought getting the sand in my shoe is bad. Now I have like thirty pounds of it in my ass.'_

Putting her hands in front of her she pushed herself up off the ground. She avoided Clark's gaze and adjusted the bag over her shoulder.

"Let's just keep moving."

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Clark nod, but he still looked at her suspiciously. She wished for one second he would stop watching and worrying about her. Though, she couldn't blame him. She was worried herself.

Walking further she made a sudden stop and grabbed her stomach. The weirdest sensation was coming over her. She almost felt as if she were floating.

"Oh, that can't be good." She said to herself.

Extending her hand in front of her she gasped as she saw that was becoming transparent.

"Yeah, _not good_."

Clark turned around and looked back when he noticed she wasn't behind him.

"You okay?" He called out.

Callie quickly hid her disappearing hand behind her back.

"Yeah, I just…I just needed to stop for a second."

Once he turned his head away Callie pulled her hand back out and saw that it was normal again.

' _We're running out of time.'_ She thought.

Shielding her face from the gusts of wind, she was ready to start moving again. The howl of the wind became louder and heard the words, " _Out here the good girls die."_

Callie whipped her head around and glanced around the desert landscape. She could have sworn she had heard someone say something to her, almost whisper it in her ear.

" _Out here the good girls die."_

" Okay, now I know I heard something." She said.

Shaking her head she couldn't get the voice to leave her alone. The wind blew harder against her face.

"Out here the good girls die," The voice said as clear as anything.

Callie's eyes snapped open and she turned around to the individual behind her. She stood right in front of her with a smile on her face that Callie wanted to slap off. It was her, again. The woman who had sent her to the past. Throwing her fist in the direction of her face the woman disappeared and all her hand met was air.

Callie took a deep breath and leaned her back against the rocks. She was seeing things again. She wanted to cough it up to it being like seeing a mirage in the desert, but she knew it was more than that, she could feel it being more than that. Finally feeling back up to _some-what normal_ she extracted herself from the rocks and pushed forward.

"We have to keep moving. We don't have much time!" She urged and moved ahead of him.

In the distance she could see some moss or something moss like growing on the side of a few rocks. "There!" she pointed.

Running toward the rocks once they made it to them she saw a particular plant growing out of the dry soil.

"This must be it." Clark shouted as the wind started to pick up again.

Pulling the bag off her shoulder she unzipped it and opened it up. Pulling the plant right from its roots she threw it in the bag. Opening a jar she pulled another plant, placing it inside as something began to ooze out and its seeds started to fall from the center of it.

Crouching down, she examined the colors of the plant. Its petals were a deep red and long. The stem was a deep green. There were lines running down it, veins that held the key to curing the poison.

"Who dares trespass here?" A voice asked.

Getting up she stood right beside Clark, hanging back a little letting him stand in front to protect her.

The man was heavy set and clad in long rags from head to toe. He pulled down the rag hanging across his face and she could see scars all over him, his bright green eyes burning into them.

"Callie…" Clark said, turning his face slightly back to her.

"You go left, I'll go right." She said, never taking her eyes off the Zoner.

"Hey, I know you. You're Kal-El."

She watched as Clark stiffened in front of her.

"Say, Kal-El, how about getting me out of here _in exchange for your life_." He said, pulling out a knife from under his rags.

Both Callie and Clark took a step back away from him.

"Okay, nix the going separate ways plan."

Hearing the crunching of rocks Callie looked up over the rocks to see two more figures in rags crouched down in hiding.

"We have company." She said.

Clark looked up the direction she tilted her head to, a pensive look coming over his face.

"What do you say, _Kal_?" The Zoner said, waving the knife.

"I think we'll pass." Callie said moving in front of Clark.

"Callie, what are you doing?" he warned.

"Trust me." She said, still staring at the figure before her. "What's he going to do? Sit on me?"

His mouth formed into a smile as he lunged for her. Quickly ducking to the ground she made sure her body was right in the way of his feet, making his large body trip and fall to the ground. Getting up quickly she kicked him in the stomach, but noticed that the knife he was carrying was lodged in his side.

"And that's why we don't carry sharp objects like that." She said. Grabbing Clark's arm she pulled him over the body and back toward the rocks for shelter. "Come on!"

The other two figures leaped over the sides and came straight for them. Clark and Callie tried to dodge them, but Zoner #2 grabbed Callie by the hair while Zoner #3 grabbed Clark's jacket.

" _Ahhh_!" She screamed as he tugged at her hard.

She elbowed #2 in the stomach and high-kicked him in the face, sending him on his back against one of the rocks then falling down to the floor.

"And they said that putting my anger into fighting wasn't a good thing. Take that high school guidance counselor." She said kicking the second Zoner on the ground once more.

Turning around, she grabbed the third one's shoulder, but he backhanded her face and side-kicked her in the stomach. She gasped and doubled over in pain, blood coming out of her mouth.

She watched as Clark was able to maneuver his way away from Zoner #3 and punched him hard to the ground, knocking him out cold.

Kneeling beside her he took her face into his hands and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm going to start charging you every time you ask me that."

He smiled a bit at her then ripped a piece of material from his blue T-shirt and handed it to her.

"For the blood, they can smell it."

She nodded as she took the cloth he offered her and dabbed it on the cut on her lip.

"I think we should stay here for a few minutes and then get moving again." He said.

Callie closed her eyes and felt her breathing start to get harder. She opened her eyes back up, but the scenery was spinning before her. She felt dizzy and drowsy. Her head was beginning to ache severely. Then like before, the dizziness and aching went away and she was fine again.

Recognizing what had just happened, she dug into her back pocket and she pulled out her list, staring at the words. Some of the early memories she wrote down were gone. They were just words now, with no meaning except to try and teach her what she was forgetting.

"What's that?" Clark asked.

"Just a motivational tool."

He stared at her a bit more. She knew he didn't believe her. Defeated she sighed and said, "I feel like the longer I'm here, in the past, the more I'm forgetting. I don't want to forget. So, I wrote things down on here. They're just little things like my best friend and the stupid things we've done or looking back on how I learned to fight or even just saying that stupid phrase "see you later alligator" with my dad." She chuckled, some tears escaping her eyes.

Clark placed his hand on her shoulder. "They sound like nice memories."

"Yeah, they are. I appreciate them even more now. Like that saying, I used to hate it when he would say it when I got older, but now I would love nothing more than to say it to him again. I miss it so much right now. I miss him, I miss my mom. I don't want to forget them."

"You won't."

She looked up at him and could see the determination in his eyes.

"No, I won't."

The howling of the wind came back and both Callie and Clark looked to the rocks, knowing more Zoners would be coming for them soon.

"I think we should get going."

"I think you're right." She agreed, knowing that they had a long trek ahead of them.

~\~

Chloe paced back and forth outside Lois' room as the doctors tended to her once again after another chain of convulsions, this time a bit more serious.

Seeing Dr. Hamilton come out of the room, she quickly pulled him aside.

"How is she?"

"Each set will become more and more traumatic for her body to handle. I'm quite surprised she's lasted this long to tell you the truth."

"What does that mean? Is she…"

"She won't last the night."

Chloe closed her eyes as the words stung her heart. She knew those words were coming but she didn't want to face them, especially since Oliver had left her to deal with Luthor Corp. business problems regarding Tess' disappearance and she was currently alone.

"But there might be a way we can stop the poison from further damaging her system, but it is experimental."

"What is it?" Chloe asked, desperate for anything.

"What we can do is induce hypothermia."

"Induce hypothermia?" She questioned.

"By doing that we can slow her body down, her heart won't have to work as much and hopefully we can stall the poison from doing any damage for a short time. It could buy us a few more hours, but it is dangerous."

Chloe didn't know what to do. She wanted to do anything to help her cousin, but if this could be dangerous for her, she didn't want to create any more damage than there already was in her body.

"Are you willing to try it?"

"I don't know." She breathed out.

"In the matter of science and medicine, we still fear what we don't know, Chloe. It's your decision."

' _Lois would do anything to save someone she loved, just like Callie is doing right now. She's risking her life to save the people she loves. You owe it to her to buy her time,'_ She thought.

Chloe looked straight into Emil's eyes and said, "Do it."

~\~

Clark pushed Callie in front of him as they rushed to the gateway.

"Are they still behind us?" She called back to him.

Turning his head over his shoulder for a brief second he realized that no one was following them.

"No."

Turning his head back around, while still moving, he almost toppled into Callie's back.

"Why did y—?" he began to question, but cut himself off when he saw why she stopped.

"I guess they aren't behind us because they are in front of us." She commented.

To his dismay some other Zoners were in front of the gateway.

Callie turned to him quickly and said, "I'll distract them, you go."

"What? You're not serious."

"Did I stutter?" She said with annoyance in her voice.

"We came in together and we're leaving together." He stated.

Callie opened her mouth to say something, but before she could the Zoners started to stampede their way to them. When they moved toward he was surprised to see the first Zoner they had fought before was in the back waiting for them. He thought for sure he was dead, but he guessed in the Phantom Zone anything could happen.

As the first few came after him, the burly Zoner #1, a giant blood stain on his side, went after Callie.

"You're going to pay, girl." He said as he lifted his arm to strike her, but by creating an "X" with her arms above her head she was able to block his attack.

Struggling against the group they pushed him to the ground, cut at his face and chest, and socked him in the stomach a few times. Clark was on the verge of passing out when one image flashed before his eyes.

"Lois." He whispered.

Garnering all his strength he pushed one Zoner after another away from him. When they started to come back for him he made sure he had two good punches waiting for them. Once they were immobilized he turned to see Callie kickZoner #1 in the spot where his wound was, making him cry out in agony and fall to the ground.

Pulling her arm, he guided her as they ran through the gateway into the cave where the altar with his family's crest stood. He could hear the sounds of more Zoners coming, so he quickly cut his hand on the rock, making a hissing sound as he felt the pain of his newly opened wound.

He didn't know how but Callie had managed to get out of his grasp and was back at the entrance.

"They're coming!" She said as the wind started to pick up, her hair flying as a mixture or dirt and sand flew in the air.

Seeing the blood start to drip out of the fresh cut he slammed his palm on to the surface of the symbol and watched as the portal opened in the triangle created by the rocks, a motion of colors appearing before him.

"Let's go!" he screamed.

Suddenly, he heard a struggle from behind. Whipping his head around he watched as Callie battled yet another Zoner, her face getting cut up in the process. He pushed her roughly into the rock wall and then started to come for him.

"No!" She screamed as she pushed herself off the ground and tackled the figure. "Clark! You have to go!"

"Not without you."

Punching the Zoner in the face she halted it enough for her to reach him.

"There are more coming!" She said catching her breath. She took the backpack she was carrying off and swiftly placed it over his shoulder.

"Take this and go wake Sleeping Beauty, okay?"

"Callie…"

"Please, for me, for _her_ , go."

She moved closer, but yelped out when the Zoner caught her by her ankle.

"Clark, we can't risk them getting to Earth, the drawbridge is closing over there. You have to go!" She demanded.

At the entrance of the gateway he could see the shadows drawing closer and hear their screams in the wind as it started to pick up.

Stomping on the hand out the Zoner she managed to get from his grasp and push Clark toward the portal.

"See you later alligator." She whispered as her glassy blue eyes met his.

His eyes widened at her words. He knew what she meant by them.

He went to say something but before he knew it she forcefully pushed him back. He reached out for her though, it was no use. He watched as her face disappeared, Zoners coming up behind her as he fell deeper into a bright abyss.


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Sometimes Goodbye is a Second Chance

**Chapter Eighteen:** _**Sometimes Goodbye is a Second Chance** _

Cold. Dark. Silent. That seemed to be the common dream Lois would usually have as she slept but something was different this time around. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but this felt more real than anything.

Suddenly, a bright spot light, at least she thought it was a spot light, shined on her. She shielded her eyes and squinted as she saw a figure coming her way.

As the silhouette came closer, she started to hear all different voices around her. She could feel tears stinging her eyes. She wanted to desperately get out of wherever she was trapped. She hugged herself tightly afraid of what was happening.

' _I don't belong here.'_ She thought.

She wanted to keep fighting, she really did, but she didn't know what she was fighting for. She was so confused. She could hear sadness, despair, urgency, and love from everyone who spoke. She wanted to be with them and couldn't fathom why she wasn't or what was going on.

" _Come back to me…"_ She heard Clark's voice chant.

Distracted by the voices her eyes focused in front of her and she saw that the light let up a little bit. She could now make out the person's face coming toward her. When they reached her, they cupped the side of her cheek and she closed her eyes to the familiar touch and reveled in it. She opened her eyes back up and stared. Her eyes started to water again at the angelic face smiling in front of her.

She was speechless. She always had something to say. She hated uncomfortable silences and Clark had even teased her once that if she had become a radio disc jockey, like a magazine had told her once, that there would be no dead air. But right then and there, she couldn't say anything. All she could do was stare at the face in front of her.

Finding her voice after a few moments she finally asked what had been at the tip of her tongue since she clearly first saw the face.

" _Mom_?"

~/~

Clark forcefully fell face first into the ground of the railroad track as the vortex behind him closed. Feeling his strength coming back to him he pushed himself up quickly. He stared back at the last remnants of the vortex as it officially closed; closing him off to Callie. He could feel the anguish of losing her start to creep up but as he looked down at the bag on his shoulder he was reminded of what he had to do. It was why he was racing against the clock.

"Lois." He whispered in the night air.

Superspeeding to the hospital he sought out Dr. Hamilton and found him in the lab by himself. Still in superspeed mode, he closed the blinds and locked the door behind him. He watched as a startled Emil jumped and looked behind him.

"Chloe warned me about these types of visits. I don't know how she's gotten used to them."

Clark didn't show any emotion to him. He took the bag off of his shoulder and opened it up giving Emil the plant Callie had placed in a jar.

"How long?" he asked, referring to the time it would take to make the cure for Lois.

"Well, I have to extract the right enzymes and then place them into the antidote. It may take some time."

Clark slammed his hand on the table, again startling the doctor. "We don't have time!"

He had just lost Callie and it was eating at him. He couldn't lose Lois, too. Not again. He would never be able to bear it.

Emil picked up the jar and examined it. Unscrewing the top of it, he lifted the plant out of the jar, took a scalpel and scratched off a piece of it placing it on a slide. He dropped some water on it and placed it under the microscope.

"Extraordinary," he gasped as his eyes were attached to the eye pieces of the microscope.

Lifting his head back up and he looked to Clark.

"I'm going to do my best but I _will_ need some time. After consulting with Chloe I've induced hypothermia in Lois. It's stopped the spread of the poison for now and should give me enough time to prepare the antidote."

Clark nodded. He watched Emil work, his foot tapping incessantly at times. All sorts of thoughts jumbled in his head. Lois. Callie. Zoners. The antidote. Zod. Smallville. Metropolis. All he wanted was for Callie to be out of the Phantom Zone prison and for him to be at Lois' side. He thought about going to her room, but he didn't want to go there and see her sleeping form. He wanted to be there when those bright eyes of hers would open up again and glare at him.

A small smile tugged at the side of his lips as he thought about her glaring and having something to say about being stuck in the hospital once again.

"Alright, I've extracted the enzymes and I placed them into the antidote. All that is left is to do is inject them into the sample I took from Lois and hope they counteract the effects of the poison." Dr. Hamilton said, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Clark watched with hopeful eyes as Dr. Hamilton took a syringe to vacuum up the antidote and injected it in a vial of Lois' blood. Placing a drop of the crimson liquid onto a slide he placed it back onto the stage of the microscope. Clark watched as a frown came upon the doctor's lips as he peered into the eye piece.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

Dr. Hamilton lifted his head. "It appears to be working, but the antidote seems to be overtaking the poison very slowly, _too slowly_ in my opinion. If I had some more time I might be able to speed up the process."

"It's because she's human," Clark deducted. "This cure isn't meant to be for a human."

"I see what you're saying. Yes, precisely, this antidote is made to counteract with an enzyme in the species the poison is meant for. Possibly if I had a blood sample then I might be able to conclude which enzyme that is and speed up the process from there. But how on earth are we going to find such a specimen on such short notice. Surely, we'll need—"

Before Dr. Hamilton could finish his sentence Clark sped out in a flash and returned milliseconds later holding a lead box in his hands.

"The specimen you need is standing right in front of you."

Emil's eyes widened as he looked at Clark.

"You?" He asked, pointing to Clark.

Clark nodded.

"That actually explains a lot." The doctor mumbled.

Taking off his red jacket, Clark extended his arm and handed the box to Emil. Emil looked quizzically at the box and at him.

"You're going to need to open that if you want to extract my blood." He said, awaiting the pain he knew that would soon strike him any second.

Dr. Hamilton opened the box and a bright green glow emitted from it. Clark began to double over in pain and placed one knee to the floor, his arm still extended.

"Hurry," he winced, the pain overcoming him.

Emil quickly grabbed a needle and stuck it into a protruding vein in Clark's arm. He screamed out in pain as the blood was drawn. "Almost there, Clark." He assured him.

Once he was done he shut the box and Clark fell to the floor, gasping for breath as he recovered.

Emil hurried over to the lab table and added a drop of Clark's blood into the antidote and mixed it. He immediately placed a sample on a slide and put it back under the microscope. A wide grin spread across his face as he said, "It's working."

Clark let out a breath of relief and reached for his jacket. The strength finally came back to him as he put his arms into its sleeves. He watched as Dr. Hamilton mixed a batch and sucked it up into a syringe.

"You're going to want to inject this right into her IV. It may take a few moments but it should start to take effect."

"Thank you."

The doctor nodded and Clark grabbed the needle speeding back out and down the hallway, to Lois' room. Once he stopped in there he saw that the room was empty.

"What?" He said in disbelief.

' _Where is she?_ ' He panicked in his thoughts.

Walking out in terror, thinking the worst had happened, he spotted a familiar blonde head at the opposite end of the hallway heading in a different direction.

"Chloe!" he called out.

The blonde stopped and turned around, fresh tears in her eyes.

"Where's Lois? Have you seen her? Is she alright?"

Chloe shook her head, "Far from it."

"Where is she?" He asked desperately.

"They moved her down this hallway to the coma ward." She looked behind him and then up to his eyes. "Clark, where's Callie?"

Clark looked down in sadness. As he was about to speak his superhearing perked up and he heard the sound of machines beginning to go haywire and he knew exactly where they were coming from.

"Lois." He whispered.

He sped into her room, locking the door so they wouldn't be interrupted, and gripped the syringe in his hand. He found the correct spot for the needle in the IV tubing and pushed down the lever, watching the liquid diffuse in the tubes and into Lois' veins.

The monitor started to beep normally again and he felt a smile form on his mouth. Letting his fingers brush through the hair on the side of her head he told her, "You're safe now, Lois. I'm here."

As soon as he said those words, to his surprise, the machine indicated that Lois' levels had plunged once again. The machine beeped erratically then there was a low constant beep. She had flatlined.

"No. _No, no, no, no, no_." He said, grasping Lois by her shoulders. "Lois. Lois, come on. You can't do this. You can't…"

He shook his head and couldn't think over the noise. He let go of her left shoulder, forming a fist with that hand. He was ready to smack the machine into the wall. The green line of the EKG machine then spiked and started to beep at a normal rhythm as his hand was suspended in the air. His hand fell to his side and his eyes snapped back to Lois' face.

He saw her hand twitch and movement under her eyelids. He cupped her cheek, stroked it with his thumb, and then pulled it back. She felt so cold to his touch. Controlling his heat vision he warmed her up to combat the hypothermia. He wanted her to be comfortable when she woke up.

He couldn't understand why but his feet started to retreat and take him away from her, forcing him into the shadows in the back of the room. He waited and watched while his heart skipped beats as her eyes fluttered open. What he couldn't imagine were the next words to come out of her mouth as she looked up at his form in the shadows.

"It's you."

~/~

_Few Moments Before_

Lois stood with her mother.

"Why are you here?" Fear then crept up her body. "I'm not—I mean, am I…?" She couldn't even say the words.

"No, Lo, you're not." Her mother assured her.

"But, why then? Not that I'm not happy to see you because I am, but I just always associate that when you cross to the other side is when you see dead people." She stopped and her head snapped up. "Oh, no. I wasn't infected with meteor rocks and can now see dead people like that 'Sixth Sense' kid, right?"

"Honey, let's not get all dramatic."

" _Dramatic_? I'm talking to my mother, who by the way isn't alive anymore! I think I've earned the right to be dramatic especially when I can't remember what happened to me or why I'm here... Wherever **here** is." She said her eyes darting around and there was nothing.

"Lo, I'm here to make the transition easier." She said in a soft voice.

"Transition? So then, I could… _you know_."

Her mother pursed her lips together. She brushed her hand across Lois' cheek and said, "Lois, you have your whole life ahead of you and it's going to stay that way."

Lois smiled at the touch. "Mom, I missed you so much," she said, grabbing her into a hug.

"I know," her mother said stroking her hair, "but I'm so proud of you. You've done such a good job taking care of the family."

Lois scoffed, "Oh yeah, because Lucy turned out so great."

Her mother pulled back and gripped both of her shoulders. "You did the best you could and I know that when the time comes for you to be a mother, you'll be even better because of what you've been through."

"Oh come on, Mom." She said rolling her eyes. "I don't think I'm the kind person who should have a kid."

"Oh, Lois you'll see." She said brushing a strand of hair behind Lois' ear.

"But how do you know?" She pushed. "I mean, can you see the future or something? Is that like a power you guy gets when you go up there?"

Her mother laughed. "No. Let's just say that I've been watching you and in the process caught a glimpse of how great you'll be as a parent."

"I wish I could have seen that."

"Oh, but honey, you have. You just don't know it yet. But you will, _one day_."

"Way to be real mysterious, Mom."

"Sorry, honey, can't give it away." She chuckled.

Lois sighed, "I wish we could talk like this all the time."

"You can talk to me anytime you want. I'm always here." She said pointing to Lois' heart.

Lois wiped tears from her eyes. Suddenly the light that had been cast aside began to intensify.

"Mom? What's going on?"

"Oh, no." Her mother said turning to the light. She then turned back and said, "Lois, honey, don't worry."

"Please tell me that I'm not—."

Her mother gave her a wistful look and started to back into the light. "I'm so proud of you, Lo. I'm so proud of the strong woman that you've become, but I need to do something for me."

"Anything." Lois breathed out.

"Let him in." She said as the light surrounded her, making her look like she glowed. Just like an angel.

"Mom!" she cried and reached for her.

"I'll be watching over you…" Lois heard as the light engulfed her mother completely.

' _Don't look into the light, Lois.'_ She told herself, but she could not obey. The light was coming toward her and she felt it pulling at her. She shook her head and took a few steps back.

" _Lois. Lois, come on. You can't do this. You can't…"_ She heard someone cry.

"Smallville?" She asked.

She took a few more steps back from the light, but it kept approaching.

"No!" She screamed out. "I'm not ready yet!"

A burst of strength ran through her veins and walked further away from the light.

"Lois Lane is not going to succumb to the thousand watt light bulb you got shining up there!" She yelled. "I'm strong and I'm a fighter and I want to wake up—NOW!" She demanded.

Like someone flipped the switch off, the light was gone and she was surrounded by darkness.

' _Where's that Elmer Fudd nightlight when you need it?'_ She thought.

Lois felt different, though. She felt more in control and could hear different noises that sounded eerily familiar and pissed her off at the same time. At first she felt very cold, then suddenly she could feel as if someone had their hand brushing against her cheek and felt her body burst with instant warmth breaking through the cold. It felt almost as if she were tanning herself on the beach under a hot sun.

Her eyes fluttered open and she adjusted them to a dark room. She felt weak but she was able to lift her head from whatever uncomfortable bed she was lying in.

' _Definitely not at the beach.'_ She thought.

As she lifted her head a bit that was when she saw him. He was standing in the shadows, but the light from the moon shined in and illuminated the red color he was wearing on his upper body. That's all she could see. Red.

"It's you." She breathed out.

Her throat was all scratchy and dry and she desperately felt the need for water. However, she brushed that aside and focused on the person in front of her. She wanted to know why he was there or where she was. The room was still really dark but she could hear an annoying, familiar beeping sound in the corner.

As she went to say something else a streak of red and blue exited the room, the door flinging open, and left her in awe. She smiled and let out a deep breath she hadn't known she had been holding. She couldn't believe that once again she had the Red Blue Blur in front of her, though, something was off.

' _Why was he here?'_ She thought.

She looked around and noticed that she was once again stationed in a hospital room.

"Aw, hell no!" She said, shaking her head.

Ripping the IV out of her arm, Lois climbed out of the bed ready to make a break for it. Before she could, however, Chloe came running in.

"Lo!" She exclaimed, grabbing Lois into a tight hug, "You're awake!"

"Uh, yeah. What happened?" Lois asked confused.

Chloe let her out the bear hug and pulled back. "You don't remember?"

"It's all sort of hazy right now. I remember getting in my car and driving to Smallville. I had every intention of seeing Tess at the mansion," She said while pacing the room, "but I went to the Kent farm instead…and after that it gets all choppy."

"You were going to see Tess?"

"Yeah, it was… for a story I'm investigating." Lois said hesitantly, not wanting to give away the real reason she had been going.

"Look, Lois—."

"Chlo, what happened? How did I get here, _**again**_?"

"Lo, you were sick and we didn't know what was wrong and you needed a certain type of medicine and we thought we couldn't find it until—."

"It was the Red Blue Blur wasn't it?" Lois interjected.

"Lo—."

"I knew that he was watching over me, but after the last time we talked and I told him that I needed to think things through—he's making it really difficult…" She rambled, slightly smiling at the thought of him rescuing her again and caring about her that much.

"What are you talking about?" Chloe asked with a perplexed look on her face.

"Nothing." She said, smiling, remembering the warmth she felt waking up.

"Lo?"

Succumbing to Chloe she explained, "It's just—He saved me, Chlo. He saved me. These warm hands broke right through. I was…I was so close to—." She stopped and looked Chloe in the eye. "Chlo, I think that I could have died." Watching Chloe's face she added, "I saw my Mom."

Chloe's eyes widened. "Aunt Ella?"

"I was with her," she sighed, "and I felt so safe and loved but I—I knew that I couldn't stay, you know? I couldn't cross over and she knew that, too. I heard all of you and then I just felt—I felt alive again and when I opened my eyes I saw him right over there," she said pointing to the corner by the window, "and then he just blurred right out of here."

"Wow, that's quite the experience."

"Yeah." She sighed. "And I'm glad it's over and we can just get out of here."

"Get out of here?" Chloe laughed. "I don't think so. You're staying here until you've fully recovered."

Chloe began to guide Lois back to her bed, but Lois shook her off.

"No way. I've been in and out of hospitals ever since I got back from, wherever the hell I was for a month. I swear, one more night in one of these places and you'll be committing me." She said crossing her arms against her chest.

"Lois, you were in a coma. You need to be reevaluated."

" _Hmph."_ She said climbing back into the bed.

"Good girl." Chloe chuckled. She turned to walk out saying, "Let me get a doctor and we'll see what we can do."

Watching her go something still nagged at Lois.

"Chlo?"

She turned around with a smile and asked in a playful but annoyed tone, "What?"

"Where are Clark and Callie?"

The smile on her face fell and Lois suddenly wondered what had happened with them. Were they hurt like she was? Were they lying in beds somewhere? Could they all possibly be roommates if they were?

"Chloe?" She asked when she didn't get a response.

"They had a bit of a family emergency on top of this. But I know they'll be happy to know you're okay."

"I hope everything is okay."

"So do I." She heard Chloe whisper as her eyes looked to the ground. She then looked back up at Lois and said, "Now, let me find that doctor for you."

Lois nodded feeling the joy she had before slipping away. She couldn't quite place it, but she almost felt that a part of her was suddenly missing.

~/~

Chloe walked out of Lois' hospital room. She had been so elated that Lois was okay, but the second Lois asked about Clark and Callie she felt her emotions plummet down.

Taking her purse off her shoulder she opened it and pulled out the letter Callie had handed to her before she left. Her fingers brushed over the letters written in script that spelt out Clark's name.

Tightening her lips together she looked to the floor in sorrow, feeling the tears building up in her blue eyes. Callie had prepared her for this. She had told her that when she left she mostly likely would not make it back, and through it all she had kept her other promises. She made sure Clark made it back and that he saved Lois.

Chloe let a lone tear escape down her cheek. She gripped the letter in her hand and whispered, "You did it. I don't know how, but you did it. Thank you."

Callie had kept her promise and now Chloe had to keep hers. Walking down the hallway she rounded the corner and saw Clark standing with his back against the wall.

"How is she?" He asked, avoiding eye contact.

"She's okay. She says she doesn't remember much, but she also did say that she was going to see Tess yesterday morning. Dodged that bullet, huh?"

"I remember her saying that she had plans but before she left that was when…"

"Zatanna put the whammy on the both of you?" Chloe finished.

"Yeah." Clark said softly.

Chloe could tell by the look in his eyes that he was growing more distant. She hated seeing him take everything on himself, especially after what they had just gone through. Clark had turned away from humanity once and she didn't want to see that happen again. Looking down at the letter clutched in her hand she thought of someone else who wouldn't want to see that happen again either.

"Clark—" She said with a strain of sadness in her voice.

He shook his head and said, "Chloe, don't."

"She wanted you to have this." She said, handing him the envelope.

For a moment all he did was stare at the envelope she extended to him. She noticed that he looked as though he were afraid to touch it, afraid to see what was inside.

' _It'll mean that she's really gone,'_ she thought, sympathizing with his actions.

She watched as his hand reluctantly took the envelope and fell to his side. He didn't look at it, he just held it as his eyes looked down and gazed at the floor.

"Lois thinks that the Blur saved her, you know." Chloe said.

"Good." He said gripping the letter tightly and turning from her.

"Hey, wait a second." She said, grasping his shoulder. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Did she ask about me?"

"Yeah, I said that you had a family emergency, which wasn't really a lie if you think about it."

Clark nodded and said, "I have to go."

"Clark! Go where?" She exclaimed in a slight panic.

"I need time. Please respect that." He whispered, still not making eye contact. "Goodbye, Chloe."

It was déjà vu all over again. She felt more tears escape her eyes as she watched him turn away, walk down the hallway, and fade into the crowd.

~/~

Clark climbed the steps of the loft slowly as he clutched the envelope Chloe had given to him at his side. Sitting down on the ground, he placed his back against the storage chest and thumbed over his name written neatly on the front.

Taking a deep breath he turned the envelope over and opened the flap, pulling out a letter. Unfolding it slowly he could see that the whole page was full from top to bottom, front to back. His eyes found his name once again at the top of the page and he began to read.

_Dear Clark,_

_I know this is a really cheesy way of doing this, but honestly I don't really see any other way, because I know you and you won't listen to what anyone will say to you, so I have to write it out. If all goes according to my awesome plan, we have gone to the Phantom Zone, found the plant, have run into trouble, of course, made it to the gateway, but instead of the both of us going through- you ended up alone. You, however, managed to save Lois and have now decided to sit down and sulk in the loft of the barn._

Clark put down the letter for a second and smirked as he looked at his surroundings.

' _How does she know?'_ He thought.

Shaking his head he returned his attention back to the letter.

_Now, don't be getting that tennis ball out yet, Bucko. You need to move past that and I know that you have. When I first arrived you got me so mad that I called you a coward. Granted, at the time you deserved it, but you are anything but a coward. You catch the cowards, because coward usually equals bad guy. What I'm saying is, I watched you move past that persona you had up. I watched the walls break down. All I'm asking is for them not to be built up again. Whatever happened to me, it wasn't your fault. I did this. This was my plan and I need you not to screw it up by coming back for me. Repeat, I need you to not come back for me. I want you to stay on the farm, go to work, and smile._

_We formed a tight bond, you and I, I know that. It's going to hurt, but this isn't goodbye. If anything, it's a second chance. This may not sound right to you now, but, I'm going to say it anyway because it's true—Thank you for saving my life._

Tears escaped his eyes. He couldn't stop them. He could hear her voice as he read it. He wanted to obey what she was saying, but with every word he read he found it increasingly harder not to run to the Arctic and go back to the Phantom Zone to find her. He wanted to see her again.

Wiping his eyes he turned the paper around and kept reading.

_Don't doubt that we won't see each other again, because I know it happens. I mean, hello, I'm from the future. It's a sure thing, guaranteed, so don't even think of questioning it! The 'when', though, I can't spoil for you, but just be happy having the knowledge that you will once again be in the presence of the most awesomest (is that a word?) person in the world._ _**That's me** _ _! :) So turn that frown upside down, Kent. It's an order._

_I guess this is the end where I sign off. I want to tell you that you're my hero and you always will be no matter what year I happen to fall into. You're going to do great things. Be proud. I know I am._

_Okay, I'm seriously ending this now._

_-C.K._

_**P.S** _ _. If I find out that you have put on the heinous looking trench coat again I will personally come back, pull it off of you and set it on fire with my heat vision. Don't test me! :/ ? does that look like an angry face to you?_

_**P.P.S**_ _. Hypothetically speaking, if you ever have a kid in the future and they_ _ **accidentally**_ _set fire to the living room carpet… go easy on them. Heat vision is hard to control during a temper tantrum._

Clark burst out into a collection of sobs and chuckles as he read her last words. Pushing himself off the ground he rounded the storage chest and sat himself down on the couch. Wiping his face with the back of his hand he fell back into the couch and stared at the ceiling, staring at the spot that he watched Callie repair not long ago.

"Why did you stay behind?" He whispered. "Why?"

Closing his eyes he pleaded for everything to be back to normal. For the girl who fell through his barn, for the girl who had been a mystery, for the girl who he found out was more a part of him than he ever knew to be back safe and sound.

*/*

_Clark picked himself up from the couch and walked to the window. The sun shining in illuminated the floor in such a beautiful light. He watched the light disappear as a shadow was cast over it. Lifting his head up in the direction of the shadow he saw her standing there, she was dressed in a white button down shirt and jeans, her hair wavy on her shoulders with a smug look on her face._

" _What?" She asked._

_He smiled brightly at her. "Callie."_

_He watched as she walked over to his desk and thumbed at a framed picture there. She looked back up at him and asked, "So what do you need? You feeling a little Callie deprived? Needed a Callie fix?"_

" _Huh?"_

" _You wouldn't be dreaming about me if you didn't need something." She said walking over to the couch and plopping herself down, then placing her feet on the chest._

" _I need to know why you stayed behind. Why didn't you come with me?" He asked, walking toward her._

" _I think we both know why."She said as she stared intensely at him._

" _But…"_

" _Save the reporter, save the world." She quipped and smiled._

_She stood up and looked up to the ceiling. He watched as she stared at the spot she had fallen through when he first met her._

" _It seems like so long ago that I fell through there." She looked at him and said, "But you've come a long way since then haven't you?"_

" _I couldn't have done it without you."_

" _Yeah, of course you could have. You and I both know that I may have pushed you in a particular direction but a certain person holds the credit for you wanting to be a part of the living again."_

_He nodded as he thought of Lois._

" _She's okay, you know."_

_She smiled and nodded, "I know."_

" _I miss you." he whispered._

" _Awww." She said as she cocked her head to the side. She walked toward him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know you do, but you have to promise that you'll stay on track. Because if I find out that you put that damn black trench coat on again I'll be forced to come back and kick your ass."_

_He chuckled at her comment. He felt her take her hand away and start to move toward the stairs._

" _Wait, where are you going?"_

_She stopped and turned her head over her shoulder._

" _It's time for me to go."_

" _No, please, don't go."He pleaded._

" _I'm never going to be too far from you. The blinders are off, remember? I think you know we'll be seeing each other again someday." She winked._

" _Callie…"He urged._

_He wanted her to stay. He needed her to stay. She was a part of his life and he didn't want to wait to have to meet her again, whenever that would be._

_She smiled, her eyes as glassy as he remembered the last time he actually saw her. "See you later alligator."_

_Then she disappeared._

Gasping Clark woke up and felt Callie's letter crumpled in his right hand. He had fallen asleep on the couch in the loft. Standing up he moved toward the window as he had in his dream. He looked down at the crinkled paper and then back out to the sky.

"In a while crocodile." He whispered into the air. " _In a while_."

Turning around from the window he could feel determination creep up within him.

"I know what I have to do."

With that, he sped out of the farm, steadfast, and up to the frozen tundra.

~/~

Chloe stared at her cell phone contemplating whether or not to call Clark. The doctors had taken Lois for yet again another test. Lois, of course, had protested against it, but eventually she relented and Chloe was left standing in the hallway waiting for her.

Scrolling through the numbers she stayed on Clark's name and stared at it. She was worried about him. The manner he left in made her feel the exact same way she felt when he did it the first time after Doomsday struck and Lois went missing. She wanted to believe that all he needed was some space to deal with the grief but she also knew that Callie had made a big impression on him, on all of them really, and this time it could be more difficult to get past.

Walking down the hallway she felt a gust of air across the side of her face as her hair flew back.

"Clark?" She asked as she smiled while turning around.

Her smile soon fell when she saw Kara in front of her instead.

"Is Clark back yet?"

Chloe nodded.

"How's Lois?" She asked, hopefulness shining in her crystal blue eyes.

"She's going to be fine."

Kara smiled. "That's great!" Her eyes scanned Chloe and a confused look took over her face. "Shouldn't you be more excited about this? Did something else happen?" She asked, growing concerned.

Chloe looked to the ground then back up to Kara. "You know that girl that was here with us? Callie." She started and Kara nodded remembering. "Well, when she and Clark went to the Phantom Zone she made sure that Lois would be saved and that Clark would make it out, even if it meant she wouldn't."

Kara gasped. "So she's—?"

Chloe nodded and continued, "Clark's taking it really hard."

Kara looked at her with heartache. "I can imagine. It just seems so cruel that in order to save a life another one had to be sacrificed."

Chloe scoffed. "Yeah well, welcome to our lives."

"Yeah, I remember."

"Look, Kara. The thing is that with Clark being in the state he's in, I'm afraid that he's going to turn away from his family and friends again."

"Again?"

Chloe held up her hand and said, "It's a long story, but I was hoping that—well thinking that maybe it would be better off if you talked to him. I would, but I feel I might push him away."

"I'll find him." Kara said as she started to walk away, but suddenly Chloe stopped her.

"Whatever you do, you have to make sure he doesn't try and go back to the Phantom Zone. Callie doesn't want that."

Kara nodded and as Chloe felt another gust go past her, she was staring at an empty space.

"Good luck." She whispered.

~/~

Clark stared at the console with the crystal in his hand. He didn't know how long he had been standing there. There was a battle going on inside of him, going back and forth endlessly. He couldn't decide what to do. If he went back to the Phantom Zone there was a chance he could save Callie and then both of them could get out and be okay. Though, if he got there, there was a chance Callie could already be dead, or that he could die in the process of trying to get to her. Then there was the chance of something getting out of the Zone and terrorizing the Earth.

Taking a deep breath he leaned against a crystal that held up the fortress and again stared. He knew she didn't want this. He knew that she told him exactly what to do in that letter and it specifically said to not try to save her, but he couldn't deny what he felt. He couldn't deny the agony he was feeling with all the information he knew.

' _I was so blind.'_ He thought. ' _How did I not see it?'_

Gripping the crystal tighter he took a step toward the console.

"I'm sorry. I can't give you what you want."

As he was about to slam the crystal in the console he heard someone say "Kal-El!"

Turning around he saw Kara behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing."

Clark turned away from her. "You don't understand. I have to do this. She needs me. I can't leave her alone out there. She doesn't belong there."

"But I do understand." He heard her say as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "But you also have to think about what she wanted."

Clark closed his eyes and swallowed back hard. He could feel the emotions coming back again.

"Kara, if I had known sooner that you were in the Phantom Zone I would have come after you, too."

"I know you would have."

"With Callie—she's family." A single tear escaped down his cheek. "I can't abandon her there. What kind of person does that make me if I do that? What kind of fa—." He stopped and loosened his grip on the crystal. "I just don't want her to suffer there, no matter what she wants."

"What she did, she did for a reason. You have to respect that. You just, you have to look to the future."

"The future," He scoffed.

Kara slowly turned him around to face her and then enveloped him in a hug.

"I know it hurts, but you have to see the bigger picture. You made it out and Lois is okay because of that. I may not have known her long, but I know she would want you to be happy about that."

"I know." He nodded into her shoulder.

"And who knows," She said as she started to pull away. "the Phantom Zone is a tricky place, but one can survive there. I'm proof of that. This girl, she seemed strong. Maybe she'll make out on her own."

"Maybe." He whispered.

"You just have to believe."

He nodded and took one last look back at the console.

"I guess we should get back. I should patrol Metropolis. Zod is still out there."

"I don't think so, Kal-El."

"Why?"

"Because you're not at a hundred percent. Your mind is still reeling from everything. You need to wait until your mind is clear and you're ready. Until then, I'll patrol. If I come across anything I'll let you know."

Clark wanted to protest her, but he knew she was right. He wasn't in the right frame of mind and he didn't want something to happen while he was out there because of that. Taking a few days off the reconfigure himself didn't sound bad. It sounded like just what he needed. It wouldn't take all the pain swarming in his heart, but maybe it could alleviate it a bit.

"Okay." He agreed.

*/*

Several days had passed and Clark grew weary of what time on the farm was doing to him. Every night he would awake to nightmares. He would see Callie's face all cut up, lying on the floor of the cave where the gateway was and then before he could do anything in the dream he would awaken in frustration.

Then to make matters even worse when he would go out to do his chores he would see her, everywhere. He tried to go for a walk on one of the paths in the woods next to Crater Lake and her image would appear. Her hair would be blowing in the wind behind her and she would just smile at him. He didn't know how much longer he could take it.

He hadn't talked to anyone except for Kara and even that was limited. From what he knew, Lois was staying in the hospital for a few days at Chloe's request. He wanted to go and visit her, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Instead, to let her know that he was thinking about her and happy that she was okay he had sent her roses. Five dozen roses, to be specific. He didn't know what had come over him when he had ordered them but he wanted to make Lois feel better because he knew how much being cooped up in hospital would be making her go insane.

Leaning against the rails of the porch he watched as a green sports car, trailing dust, drove up his driveway.

"Long time no see, buddy." A voice called out from the car.

"Oliver." Clark acknowledged.

Oliver opened the gate to the fence and made his way up the stairs of the porch.

"I see the wardrobe has gone back to basic black. Or is that charcoal?"

Clark looked down at his dark T-shirt and then back up at Oliver, clearly not amused.

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought you might need someone to talk to. Someone who isn't on all fours and a dog."

Again Clark didn't show any emotion to the humor Oliver was trying to dish out.

"Wow, I guess I know what I'm getting you for Christmas." He took a beat then said, "Look, Clark, I know what you're going through is sad. We all miss her, but you shut out your friends. Chloe said she hasn't heard from you in three days.

"I've been busy."

"Sure you have. Too busy to even see Lois?"

Clark's eyes snapped to Oliver's. "She's okay, right?" he asked in a mild panic.

"She's fine. She's asked about you. And I saw the flowers you sent by the way. Five dozen roses," he laughed, "Real subtle, Clark."

Clark felt a smirk sneak across his lips. It was the first time in a couple days that he had felt that urge to smile.

"There it is. I knew one mention of Lois and you'd start grinning like an idiot." Oliver said as he too leaned against the rails of the porch and looked out over the farm.

"I'm not grinning like an idiot."

"Maybe not," he shrugged, "but it's a start."

Clark sighed and said, "I want to be happy. I do, I just don't know how when all I can think of is... that she's stuck in that prison. I see her everywhere. She's haunting me." Clark shook his head and said, "You don't know how much I wanted to go to the hospital and see Lois. I just—I just couldn't. I don't want her to see me like this. I know her and she would automatically know something was wrong. She needs to get strong and I would only hold her back from that."

"I don't think so."

"I do. At the moment, Oliver, all I'm left with is—."

"—An empty feeling inside." Oliver finished.

Clark nodded, still looking out into the distance. He then turned to Oliver and he received a sympathetic look from him.

"I know it's hard, but you have friends who are here to take the load off your shoulders. I know you have superstrength, but that doesn't mean you have to carry everything yourself."

"I know."

"Good. So how about we take a cruise down to Smallville Med Center and see a certain female who has been terrorizing an entire wing there."

Clark let out a chuckle imagining Lois in that state, trying desperately to get out of the hospital and making everyone miserable for it.

"From the look on your face I can tell you want to see her."

Clark nodded, "I do, but not yet."

"You sure?"

"You go. Make sure she hasn't made anyone quit."

"Oh, believe me, the whole hospital is being treated to fruit baskets and champagne from yours truly for any damage she may have caused, physical or otherwise."

Clark let out another smile and realized how good it felt and how Lois seemed to be the only one who could do that for him.

"Sounds good."

Oliver smiled and left Clark alone on the porch. He got into his car and waved out his window as he drove away from the farm.

~/~

_One Day Later_

Lois drove by the endless rows of corn on the quiet back road of Smallville on her way to the Kent farm. She had gotten out of the hospital the day before, which the staff seemed more than happy to do once Dr. Hamilton cleared her, and she was happy too, but she couldn't help but feel disappointed at the fact that Clark nor Callie had come to see her. Sure, Clark sent her five dozen roses which did make her feel happy and special, but she knew deep down something else was wrong.

Chloe had told her that there was a family emergency. She still couldn't understand why, but she felt like she was connected to it somehow, that whatever Clark was going through- he needed her. She was taking a chance. She didn't know if he was home yet, but she couldn't deny the feeling in the pit of her stomach anymore. Her intuition was telling to go to the farm and see him.

Lois shook her head, "Get over it, Lane. He might not even want to see you."

Turning into the driveway she drove upside Clark's truck.

"Looks like he's home."

Going to the side door she turned the knob, noticed that it was unlocked as always, and opened the door. Clark was walking across the living room in a gray T-shirt and stopped when he saw her entering the house.

"Lois." He said surprised.

"I hope I'm not barging in at a bad time." She said putting her hands in her back pockets.

"No."

She studied him as he came closer. He seemed so depressed; she could see it in his eyes. His eyes. He looked like he hadn't slept well in days.

"I heard from Chloe that you had a family emergency. I hope everything is okay."

She could see a multitude of emotions cross his face and Lois internally kicked herself for saying anything.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anyth—."

"It's okay." He said.

"Callie's not with you?"

He looked away from her and shook his head.

"No, she…she stayed behind."

Lois felt her stomach twist in a knot when he said that. He had made it seem so final, like she wasn't coming back.

"You must miss her."

His eyes traveled back up to hers and he said, "I just feel like a little piece of me is missing, I guess."

Lois' eyes widened at the comment.

"I know what you mean. I mean, it's not like this even comes close to what you're feeling, but when I woke up, and even now, I can't seem to put my finger on it but it's almost if there's a piece of me missing, too. I don't know what it means, but I do know that when you feel that way, you just have to let time heal it. The hole doesn't fill right away, but the pain does subside." She said, taking a step closer to him. "Besides, I'm sure you'll be seeing her again before you know it."

She felt this overpowering need to heal him, but she didn't even know where to start or how she could even do that. All she knew was that she didn't want to see him like this anymore.

Clark offered her a smile. "Thank you. That makes me feel better."

Lois smiled. "That's what I'm here for, Smallville."

She went to punch him in the arm, but before her fist could make contact with his shoulder he caught her arm. They stared at each other, a bit surprised, but then Clark smiled at her and she could see some of the sparkle return to his eye. She smiled back and he reluctantly let go of her arm when Lois' phone made a unique sound indicating she had an incoming text message.

Reaching into her front pocket she opened her inbox to see Chloe had written her a message.

**Caught up in something work. Can't make it for movie night. Won't be home till late. Don't do anything strenuous. I mean it, Lo.**

Lois let out a dissatisfied groan.

"Something wrong?" Clark asked.

Lois put her phone back into her pocket and said, "After springing me from the medical center Chloe insisted that I stay at the Talon to recoup. Tonight we were supposed to relax and have cousin time by watching some movies and now she canceled on me."

"I'm sure something important must have come up for her to do that."

"Yeah, well. I guess I'll just head back to the Talon then. I just came to see how you were doing."

As she turned to leave Clark grabbed her arm again. Lois let out a small gasp and turned to look at him.

"You don't have to leave if you don't want to."

Lois arched an eyebrow at him.

He explained."I mean, the house is kind of quiet and I know I didn't have anything to do tonight…"

"Why Clark Kent, are you offering me to stay for movie night?"

"I think I am."

Lois bit the bottom of her lip and thought about what he was asking her.

"I feel bad that I didn't get a chance to see you in the hospital and if Chloe isn't going to be home, why be alone in the Talon when you could… _be here_."

' _Be here with you, you mean?'_ She thought.

"You know you don't have to feel bad about not coming to see me. You were dealing with other things and it's not like I wasn't in your thoughts. The flowers were lovely by the way."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good. You deserve the best."

"Huh." She sighed.

Her heart started to beat faster and faster as she thought about receiving all those flowers in the hospital. At first she thought for sure that there had been some kind of mistake, but when she read the card and learned that they were from Clark, she knew it wasn't.

' _First the Blur shows up then Clark sends me bundles of expensive flowers. They just like driving me crazy, don't they?'_ She thought.

"So, what should we watch?" He asked.

She could tell that little by little he was letting his guard down in front of her. She didn't know if it had anything to do with her, but she was going to make sure that tonight she took his mind off of anything depressing. As she thought about movies, a devilish grin began to plaster itself on her face.

"Let's see." She said clapping her hands together and rubbing them.

She headed straight over to Clark's laptop on the coffee table and started to bring up different sites concerning the best mind numbing movies to watch..

"So, which one are you in the mood for, Smallville? Speeding buses or a one man take down of international terrorists?"

*/*

Lois threw another piece of popcorn into her mouth and watched as John McClane jumped off the roof of Nakatomi Plaza, a fire hose wrapped around his torso and an explosion erupting behind him.

Lois smirked and nodded, "I think I could survive that."

"I don't know about that, Lois," Clark said.

"I have been in similar situations of danger and I'm still here."

"I'm glad you are." He said seriously. Then he cleared his throat and continued, "But I'm not sure every situation was managed based on your skills alone."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, sometimes there's been intervention-especially from mysteriously blur-like sources." Lois shook her head, "But, I still think I could handle this. I would rock the white tank top."

Clark's cheeks started to turn a light crimson and Lois smiled. She leaned back into the couch and realized that Clark's arm stretched out behind her and that she was also leaning into his side. She slightly smiled to herself at the feeling of him being around her like that.

"Clark?"

He turned to her and asked, "Yeah."

"I just wanted to say thank you." She said toying with the cap of her drink.

"For what?"

"For rescuing me from a night of being by myself at the Talon and also…for when I was in the coma."

"I don't understand."

Lois picked up the remote and paused the movie. Twisting her body to face Clark she said, "When I was in that coma some really weird things happened. For a minute there I thought that it was it for me, but then I could hear all these voices calling out to me. Yours, though, was the strongest. It sort of guided me out of the darkness and I wanted to say thank you. So, thanks for leading me home, Clark."

Clark lifted his hand up and cupped her cheek.

"I think I should be thanking you, too."

The lids of her eyes became heavy, closing as she sighed,"For what?"

"For making tonight bearable. I've been moping around this house for a few days, but you came in and you made me feel alive again. I don't know how you do it."

She opened her eyes back up.

"Lane charm, of course." She whispered staring into his eyes as her hand landed on his chest.

She wanted to heal him so badly. She could still see so much pain in his eyes, like he was trying not to think of something but failing miserably. She knew what that felt like. She knew how pain could eat away internally, especially when family was concerned. She had pain in her heart, too, wherever it was from. Maybe, just maybe….

" _Let him in…"_ She heard a voice whisper in her ear.

Their faces inched closer and she could his breath on her lips as he repeated, "Of course."

Her eyes went from his eyes to his lip and back and his eyes did the same.

' _Maybe we can heal each other…'_ She thought.

Their lips were centimeters apart when the phone started to ring. Both of them jumped back in their seats and Clark grunted in dismay as he got up from the couch. She watched as he checked the caller ID and then proceeded to unplug the phone.

"Don't feel like talking to anyone tonight." He explained.

Lois nodded and pulled her phone out. "Well, then it's only fair that I do the same," she said as she turned her phone off. He grinned at her as she did so.

Clark walked back over to the couch, getting into the same position as before, only this time instead of stretching his arm the length of the couch behind her, he placed it around her shoulders. She looked over her shoulder to him and she could see the hesitation in his eyes, like he was debating whether to remove his arm away from her, whether she wanted it or not. Quelling his fear she leaned back into him and placed the back of her head on his shoulder.

She closed her eyes, and thought, ' _This feels so right.'_

She could feel the rhythm of his breathing as his chest moved up and down beneath her. As if they were almost in sync, they both sighed at the same time. Leaning forward for a second, she reached for the remote then returned back to her position. She pressed play and wished for the movie to never end.

~/~

_Clark opened his eyes and found Lois snuggled upon his chest underneath his chin. He smiled at the feeling of her so close to him. His fingers lightly combed through her hair and he studied every inch of her relaxed face. He could see a soft smile on her lips as she unconsciously drew small circles with her hand on his chest in her sleep._

_He was so thankful that he had her. He had been willing to once again let go of the world but then Lois showed up at his door and all he wanted to do was be with her. Being around her and talking to her always felt right to him._

_He tried hard tonight, to move past what happened, but he couldn't, he knew it wouldn't be that easy. Though, he could feel his heart start to mend. Being with Lois made him feel stronger, like he could get through anything as long as she was right there with him._

_He had almost kissed her again, but a call from Chloe had interrupted them. He was grateful that she let him hold her in his arms, giving him a new found strength he thought he had left behind in the Phantom Zone. Just those low doses of physical contact were enough for him._

_Suddenly giggles from the dining room caught his ear. Slowly moving from under Lois he laid her gently on the couch, moving the blanket over her and walked to the kitchen. He stopped when he saw the familiar figure. She was reading the back of a cereal box and he heard her mutter, "Silly Rabbit."_

_He silently walked toward her but the sound of the footsteps must have given him away. Her head snapped up and she stared at him as he froze in place._

" _Hi, Dad." She said._

_He couldn't find any words to say to her. He knew he was dreaming, but usually his dreams consisted of her being helpless in the Phantom Zone, crying out for him._

_He watched as she pushed the chair back and made her way to him._

" _I see we still have dependency issues." She smirked and she crossed her arms on her chest._

" _How can you say that? How can you think that I could just forget about you like that?"_

_Her face turned serious and she replied, "Because you have to. If you don't, you'll never move forward."_

" _I can't do that. I can't not think about you in that place. I can't let go of the feeling that I need to save you."_

" _You feel that way because that's who you are. You save people, all the time, but you should know better than anyone that some people…they can't be saved."_

" _But you're my—."_

" _I know." She cut him off. "But think about it. What if you did go back and something happened to you? You wouldn't just be risking your life. You know that, right?"_

_Clark nodded knowing that she was making sense. If something happened to him, she wouldn't exist either._

" _That's why you can't go back for me. The future needs you. And this way, we still get a second chance." She said placing her hand on his forearm._

" _As a hero, you have to make the tough decisions. And they don't all turn out the way you want sometimes, but also, there's a chance that something great can come out of it, too." She said glancing over to the couch._

_He turned his head back and watched a sleeping Lois._

" _Cherish what you have and don't let it go."_

_He turned back to Callie not able to find any words to say._

" _Open your heart to her. It'll make it easier that way. It'll make you both stronger."_

_She let her hand slip off his arm as she made her way to the kitchen door._

" _Wait." He called out._

_Her hand was on the knob of the door, but she stopped and turned, her blue eyes burning into him._

" _I never properly got to say goodbye to you."_

_She let her hand fall off the knob and walked to him and he pulled her into a tight hug. He couldn't stop the emotions he was feeling, but she was right._

' _I have to say goodbye to her. I have to let her go.' He thought._

" _Goodbye, Dad." She whispered into his ear._

_He held onto her a little tighter and struggled to hold back the tears. They rocked a bit in their spot, but then he felt her start to let go._

" _I'll be seeing you." He said letting go of his grip._

" _Yes, you will." She confirmed. "And I'm going to be awesome. Don't forget that."_

_She walked to the door again, but looked back at him one last time. She smiled brightly and he managed to do the same before the tears started to fall down. She opened the door and all he could see was light shining through, blinding him a bit. She walked into it and closed the door behind her._

Clark snapped his eyes open and looked down to see that he and Lois had fallen asleep during their movie rendezvous. It was just like how it had been in his dream. She was beautifully relaxed on his chest, unconsciously moving her fingers on it. She was at peace. Slowly he repeated what he did in his dream and placed her lightly on the couch covering her with the blanket.

He cautiously moved to the dining room, but what he met there was emptiness. He knew she wouldn't be there, but a part of him still hoped. It was almost like he could feel her again, in the atmosphere, somewhere, but he brushed it off.

' _It's just your imagination.'_ He thought.

Needing to get out of the house he walked outside and found himself climbing the stairs of the loft. He stood there gazing into the darkness, waiting for the sun to start to rise.

"Ahem." He heard behind him.

He turned to see Lois standing on the steps.

"Did I wake you when I left?" He asked, feeling a bit guilty.

"Sort of."

"I'm sorry."

"That's okay. Are _you_ okay?"

He turned back to look at the farm and said, "I'm getting there."

He heard her come closer to him until she was situated right beside him, her hand brushing against his. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his own hand around hers but he held back.

"So, what exactly are we doing?" She asked.

"Wait, you'll see."

As if on cue, the brilliant light of the sun began to crawl up from the ground and into the sky.

"Wow." She said in awe.

He smiled at her face and then turned back saying, "I've shared many sunsets, but never a sunrise I don't think."

"Me either, but I've never been up early enough to see one so you can see why."

He felt his mouth curve into a smile once again and loved that she had that effect on him. He could feel so low and just simple words from her mouth could elevate him so high.

"I guess there's a first time for everything."

"Yeah, I'm glad I'm getting to see this. I've always liked the concept of sunrises."

"Concept?"

"Yeah, well, a sunset to me is kind of sad. The day is over and darkness falls. It may be beautiful, but the darkness always comes after it. A sunrise, however, is the start of a new day. Only light can come of it."

He thought about what she said and nodded, "Well, I'm glad I'm sharing it with you then."

He thought she would have some witty comeback and say that he was being too mushy about this, but what she responded with was, "Me, too."

He watched as she shook off the nice moment they were having and said, "So what have you got to eat in this place? You got me up at dawn, you better feed me."

"What are you in the mood for?"

She tapped her chin and said, "Eggs. No wait, French toast and eggs. No… you have any maple donuts stashed away anywhere?"

"You caught me; I hide hoards of maple donuts under trap doors in the barn." He smirked.

She narrowed her eyes at him and said, "Very funny, Smallville." She looked down at herself and then looked back up to him. "I'm going to go and take a shower. I'll think about this while I'm there."

"Well, you'll certainly have enough time."

"Did you go to sleep and suddenly wake up with a sense of humor or something?"

"Nah, I'm just—," He paused and looked to the sun and then back at her, "I'm looking forward."

"Hmm." She said. "Well, I'm glad you turned that frown upside down, Kent."

He smiled at her and she smiled back before turning around and walking down the stairs and back to the house.

After a few minutes Clark found himself walking the length of the driveway. He dug his hands into his pockets and as he did so one hand felt something inside. As he pulled it out he realized it was the letter that Callie had given him.

Leaning forward against the fence, he unfolded it and read it again, only this time feelings of sadness didn't consume him, feelings of hope did.

Hearing footsteps behind him he smirked as he imagined Lois standing there with a verdict on breakfast.

"That was quick. Did you finally decide on what you wanted for breakfast?" he asked.

His heart stopped as he heard a different, but familiar voice reply, "I was thinking pancakes, _in the shape of bunnies_."


	20. Chapter Nineteen: I Have Promises to Keep and Miles to Go Before I Sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trailer I made for Tempus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKHsxdsqgk8

**Chapter Nineteen:** _ **I Have Promises to Keep and**_ _**Miles to Go Before I Sleep**_

_-5 Days Ago-_

_-Phantom Zone-_

Clark pushed Callie in front of him as they rushed to the gateway.

"Are they still behind us?" She called back to him.

After finding the plant they had run into Zoners at the site. They fought them off but after taking a breather and venturing toward the gateway they had realized they were being followed.

She waited for his reply, squinting her eyes as the wind kicked up and blew sand in her face. Over the roar of the wind she heard him say, "No."

Once the sand let up she abruptly stopped when she saw that the Zoners were standing in front of the gateway waiting for them. She felt Clark close behind her and thought for sure that he would have toppled into her because of her action to stop short.

"Why did y—?" he began to question, but cut himself off when he obviously saw why she stopped.

"I guess they aren't behind us because they are in front of us." She commented.

' _I have to get him out of here.'_ She thought.

Callie turned to him quickly and said, "I'll distract them, you go."

"What? You're not serious."

"Did I stutter?" She said with annoyance in her voice.

"We came in together and we're leaving together." He stated.

Callie opened her mouth to say something, but before she could the Zoners started to stampede their way toward them. As they started to come closer she saw the one burly Zoner they had struggled against before. She thought the stab wound he had given himself took him out for good, but she seemed to have been mistaken.

He locked eyes with her and smirked.

' _Oh crap.'_ She thought immediately.

The Zoners dispersed and many began to go after Clark. She wanted to go over and help him but the colossus only had eyes for her and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold any of the others off until she dealt with him.

He hurled himself toward her, lifting his arm and ready to strike. She vaguely heard him say, "You're going to pay, girl," over the loud sound of her heart that was beating in her ears. She created an X with her arms above her head and blocked his attack.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Clark getting pummeled down by the other Zoners, instead she had to focus on the husky one trying to pummel _her_ into the ground, first. Holding her breath she formed a fist and jabbed him in the face, which sent him stumbling backward. When he was able to stabilize his footing, he ran for her. She fell to the ground and rolled out of the way, sending him running a few feet behind her. Once he realized that he hadn't caught her, he turned back.

"Come and get it." She whispered, eyeing his wound.

He ran for her once more and she was more than ready for him. Once he was close enough she got her foot prepared. With one good swift side kick, she hit the sensitive spot on his side where a blood stain was her bull's-eye. He cried out in agony and fell to the ground.

Feeling a pull on her arm she saw that Clark had latched onto her and was beginning to guide her toward the gateway. They ran through the opening of the cave and she automatically stopped at the altar which held her family's crest. She could hear the sound of more Zoners coming as she watched as Clark cut his hand on a sharp rock, hissing at the pain of his wound.

As soon as he was occupied, she managed to slip her arm from his grasp and went back to guard the entrance. The Zoners were angry and she knew that they only had a minimal amount of time left before they pushed their way in.

"They're coming!" She said as the wind started to pick up, her hair flying as a mixture of dirt and sand flew in the air.

She watched as blood dripped from his hand and he slammed his palm onto the surface of the symbol. A portal opened in the triangle created by the rocks, a motion of colors swirling before her. It was beautiful and she could feel the force pulling her into it but before she could step forward she felt a corresponding force behind her. As she was pulled back she noticed it was a Zoner, rags covering his body and face. Before she could react he smacked her face and she fell into the rock wall.

"Let's go!" She heard Clark scream.

She pushed herself from the wall, but was yet again met by the hand of the Zoner, her face now feeling as if it were on fire from the contact. She was pushed into the rock wall yet again and she could feel her strength depleting. The being left her and started to head for Clark.

' _No. He has to get out!'_ She pleaded to herself.

"No!" She screamed as she pushed herself off the ground, using whatever residual strength she had left, and tackled the Zoner. "Clark! You have to go!"

"Not without you."

She held the Zoner in place, the best she could, and punched him in the face. He was subdued long enough for her to reach Clark.

"There are more coming!" She said catching her breath. She took off the backpack she was carrying and swiftly placed it over his shoulder. "Take this and go wake Sleeping Beauty, okay?"

"Callie…"

She could see the sadness wash over his eyes, she felt it wash over hers, too, but this had to be done. He had to get out. She could try to go with him, but more Zoners were on their way, and they couldn't risk them getting to Earth. She didn't want to be responsible for that. She had already messed things up, she presumed. If those creatures made their way out because she was selfish enough to try and escape she could never live with herself if they did the damage she knew they could do.

"Please, for me, for _her_ , go." She begged.

She went to move closer, but yelped out when the Zoner caught her by her ankle.

"Clark, we can't risk them getting to Earth, the drawbridge is closing over there. You have to go!" She demanded as she struggled to free her ankle.

At the entrance of the gateway she could see the shadows of more Zoners coming and hear their screams in the wind as it started to pick up. Stomping on the hand of the Zoner she managed to free herself from his grasp and push Clark toward the portal.

' _This is it. This could be the last time you ever see him. Any famous last words?'_

"See you later alligator." She whispered as her glassy blue eyes met his.

She watched as his eyes widened at her words. She could see that he went to say something but before he could she pushed him back with emotional force. He reached out for her and as the light engulfed him she felt her hand extend to reach for him as well. As she did so there was a harsh tug on her hair and she was thrown to the ground.

"Okay, _oooowwww_." She yelped, pushing herself up to her feet.

The Zoner, the same one she had just tackled to the ground, was just about ready to jump into the closing portal when she steamrolled him to the ground breathing out, "I don't think so, Bub."

"But I do." A dominating voice said behind her.

She turned around and three, big, muscular, figures stood shoulder to shoulder at the entrance.

"Why don't we play a little game?" The one in the middle sneered.

She placed her hand to her chest. "Why, whatever did you have in mind? Cards, checkers, _dodgeball_?" She asked innocently.

He smirked. "I'm going to like tearing your limbs from your body. I think I'll do each one _**slowly**_."

"Is that right?" She smirked.

"What do you say, boys?" He asked turning to the Zoners on each side of him. "I say we go for the legs first. Make sure she can't run away."

Callie gulped but she stood her ground. No one was going to get past her and into that portal.

' _Over my dead body.'_

She looked over her shoulder and saw that the portal was almost finished closing. However, because she took her eyes away from the Zoners they saw it as their opportunity to strike first. She felt a fist on her cheek and the warm blood spewed out of her mouth after that. Then she felt another hit to her abdomen then another in her spine. She next felt humongous, brawny arms wrap around her body from the back. It felt as if the life was being squeezed out of her. He was a boa constrictor and she was the prey. Her vision started to get blurry and her breathing started to become erratic.

" _Come on, Cal. Girl Power, Power Girl."_ A voice whispered in her ear.

"Helena?" She breathed out, her eyelids fluttering as she winced in pain.

"What did she say?" One Zoner asked.

"Who knows?" Another replied.

" _Four words, amiga. Spice. Up. Your. Life."_

She let out a chuckle as she recalled what the voice was referring to. It was a joke between the two of them. If they were in a jam, those four words, and what they represented, were sure to get them out of it….at least, most of the time.

"Is she laughing?"

"She must be delirious. Probably almost done for."

She closed her eyes tightly and her head fell limp. "Not quite," she whispered.

"What was that?" The cruel voice demanded.

She lifted her head up and her eyes glared to meet the two Zoners in front of her. "I said, not quite."

She smiled and slammed her left foot down on the foot of her assailant. He cried out in pain and loosened his grip on her.

"Slam it to the left." She said to herself.

She ducked and shimmied out of the goon's grasp completely as he held his foot.

"Shake it to the right."

The two Zoners in front of her were lined up one behind the other. She smirked as her plan formed nicely and she said, "And kick it to the front." As she kicked the one Zoner in the stomach he fell backwards and took down the other one with him.

' _We totally knew that Spice Girls Anniversary Album would come in handy someday. Thanks, Hel.'_ She thought.

"You little...!" The Zoner with the aching foot said as he charged at her.

She managed to dodge his path, but he pulled a knife out from underneath his rags and started to swipe at her with it. He slashed at her clothes and then she felt the cold metal make contact with her abdomen. She quickly grabbed her stomach as a raw, excruciating pain raced through her body. She could see blood oozing out above her hand and through the cracks between her fingers.

"Son of a…." She breathed out.

She cradled her stomach with her left arm and with her right hand she formed a fist and threw it at him. She missed, due to the strength bleeding out of her. He laughed as he caught her fist and pushed her back against the wall hard. The back of her head hit the structure forcefully and she felt blood spill onto her forehead and down the side of her face.

She tried to catch her breath but before she could the Zoner grabbed her hair again and she yelped out as her skull started to throb. He began to drag her out of the cave on her back, already bruised from the rock wall. She could feel being cut left and right on stray, sharp shards of rock that littered the floor. She felt tears sting her eyes as the pain started to become unbearable.

"Why are we moving away from the portal?" She heard one of them ask.

"Kal-El was the key. She's now our toy."

He let go of her hair and she felt the sand beneath her. She thought it would be soft against her back, but instead of feeling relief she felt the sand mix with her wounds and the pain got increasingly worse. She rolled to her side and coughed as sand had managed to get into her mouth. She started to crawl soundlessly back to the cave, but one of the Zoners caught her leg and stopped her.

"Nuh, uh, uh." Said the Zoner as he moved closer to her and picked her up by her throat. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Figure it out. Though, I guess, if a thought tries to cross that mind of yours it will be a long and lonely journey for it…"

" _Seriously, Ace. Do you always have to make smart ass comments? Especially, at a time like this?"_ She heard the memory of Connor whisper in her ear.

The Zoner smirked and threw her back into the cave powerfully. Her back, once again, hit the wall, but the impact was so great that the rocks above the entrance began to fall, creating a door and blocking anyone from getting in or out.

She was alone in the cave, but she couldn't move. This hit had been too much. She looked down and saw that blood was still pouring out of her.

"I bet...I look… real… attractive… right now." She said with a strained laugh.

She closed her eyes and felt consciousness slip away.

_Callie opened her eyes and felt the difference of texture behind her. No longer was there a hard wall, but something soft substituted in its place. She looked behind her and below her and saw that she was sitting and leaning against a mound of hay. She looked around her environment and saw that she was in the Kent Barn, the loft sitting right above her._

_She didn't feel the pain afflicting her like before and she began to question in her mind how it was that she had ended up in the barn. She was grateful, though. She felt safe and that was saying a lot._

_She gingerly pushed herself off of the hay then quickly reminded herself that she didn't have to, she was alright…somehow. She looked down at her shirt and saw a giant blood stain but when she lifted it up there was no injury. Standing in one spot she did a 360 degree turn to explore the room, a feeling in her telling her that this wasn't the same barn she was used to._

_She heard the door to the barn open and a slight gasp escaped her lips as she saw who entered, a bright background behind him. She studied him. Sandy hair. Blue eyes. Blue plaid shirt with a white shirt under it and blue jeans._

" _Oh crap. Did I die again?" she said so nonchalantly that she surprised the man in front of her._

" _I'm guessing you know who I am?"_

" _Of course I do. I know all about you. There isn't a day that goes by that your presence isn't felt in our family. I kind of saw you once, I had a close call and I was lucky my powers kicked back in," She smiled nervously. "But, I don't think that will happen this time. The last thing I remember is passing out in the Phantom Zone and…you're being very quiet."_

_He smiled at her and said, "Haven't been able to get a word in."_

_She looked down in embarrassment and sighed, "Right. Sorry. My mouth tends to have a mind of its own sometimes."_

_He moved closer to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You're taking this very well," he said in a comforting tone._

" _Believe me, this extraordinary chicken isn't exactly rushing to get to the other side but… I don't know. Before all this crazy stuff started to happen Chloe said to me that maybe I was here for a reason. When Zod struck and Clark and I came here to save Lois I knew what I had to do." She stared all around the barn. "Maybe this was why I was sent to the past. Maybe that's how it happens all along." She looked back up at him, "My reason was to save them both."_

" _And I can't thank you enough for what you have done. To be going through what you've been going through, you're a very strong young lady."_

" _And don't forget stubborn. Runs in the family," she winked, "My mom says it comes from my dad and my dad says it comes from my mom, but my grandma—she says it comes from you…Grandpa."_

_He smiled at the name. She could have played dumb and avoided the subject from her side, but she knew there was really no use in lying. This was Jonathan Kent, her family. Besides, he mostly likely knew everything about her anyway._

" _I have to admit, it is a bit awkward being here with my granddaughter who doesn't actually exist yet."_

_She looked all around her again and saw the brightness that was shining through the cracks of the wood. "So? What's the next step? Customs? Baggage Claim? Do I need to stop along the way and purchase some SPF one million sunscreen?"_

_He chuckled and said, "No, there's something you need to see first." He looked over her shoulder and she followed his gaze to the loft._

_She didn't see anything. Turning back she uttered a, "Huh?" She had looked back to ask him what he meant but when she did so he was gone. "Great tour guide you turned out to be." She said crossing her arms across her chest._

_She frowned at being alone but then she heard a little boy's voice reading something above her. The voice was familiar as were the words he was reading. She climbed the stairs slowly and as she reached the top she felt as if she had acquired the power of super-slow motion. She moved around the couch and saw the back of a little boy in a red and white striped shirt with a book open in front of him concentrating on the story._

" _You must be very kind to him. To teach him all he needs to know in Rabbitland. For he is going to live with us for ever and ever."_

_Before she could stop herself she said, "That's really good."_

_The little boy looked up at her and smiled. She was startled to see that this little boy with bright blue eyes, chestnut brown hair wasn't just any little boy. He was her brother, but a younger version of him. If she had to guess she gauged he was around six or seven._

" _Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked._

_She walked toward him and placed herself on the vacant seat next to him._

" _It's just…you read so well."_

" _This is my favorite book!" He smiled._

_She looked down and smiled just as brightly as he did. "Yeah, me too. Dad used to read it to me all the time before bed. Truth be told, I'm pretty sure my love of bunnies came from this book."_

" _Because Dad liked it?"_

" _Something like that. It's come up in therapy."_

" _What's therapy?"_

_She shook her head, "I'll explain when you're older the whole notion of it."_

' _Only you won't be there when he's older,' she thought sadly._

_Turning to her side, placing her hands on her lap, and facing him she said, "Look, C.J., I have to go away for a little while."_

" _Like on a trip?" he asked._

" _Sort of."_

" _Where are you going?"_

" _Up north." She said, the best way she could describe it._

" _Like to the ice castle that Daddy visits?"_

" _It's a little farther than that."_

" _Why? Don't you want to be with us anymore?"_

" _Of course I do," she assured him, "But this is kind of unavoidable."_

" _What does that mean?"_

" _It means that I have to do it. I can't get out of it… I think."_

" _But you can do anything." He said, his bottom lip trembling._

" _Yeah, I used to think that, too." She whispered._

" _I don't want to be alone" he started to sniffle, "You told me that you'd always be there. You promised!"_

_She could feel her heart squeezing as she looked at the sad look on his face._

" _I know I did."_

_He whipped his head over the couch and toward the stairs. "Did you hear that?" He asked._

_She shook her head 'no,' she hadn't heard anything._

_Her brother tossed the book on her lap and chanted, "They're home, they're home. Come on, Callie, I'm sure if you tell them they can help you!"_

' _Home? Who's home?' She thought as she extracted herself from the couch and watched him jump down the stairs two at a time. "Hey, you, be careful doing that!"_

" _You sound like Mom." He called back._

_She looked over the edge of the rail and saw a mop of jet black hair from her aerial view of the barn and a woman standing beside him. She watched as her brother yelled, "DAD!" and ran into the arms. Her eyes widened and she froze in her spot. He was lifted into the air and he started to giggle._

' _Dad?' She thought. Then she looked at the woman and recognized her. 'Mom?'_

" _How's my little man?" He asked._

_She smiled as she heard his voice and the nickname of her little brother. Her vision started to cloud up from the emotion ready to escape her eyes._

' _What is it with you and crying these days?'_

" _Callie's sad. I think she needs your help, Daddy." She heard him say._

" _Where is she?"_

" _Upstairs. CAL-LIE!" He called to her._

_Suddenly her feet could move again and she felt them gravitate down the stairs._

" _Dad." She whispered as she was getting closer to him, to seeing his face, to being in his arms. "Mom." She whispered thinking of being with her again, too. Talking to her and laughing with her._

_She only took her eyes off of them momentarily so she could watch her footing. Once she hit the barn floor she looked up with joyful eyes only to find that they weren't there._

" _Mom? Dad? C.J.?" She called out._

_Her breathing hitched and she started to panic._

" _Bring them back! Bring them back!" She screamed. She wasn't sure who she was screaming to but someone was behind a curtain somewhere pulling the strings._

" _Please…bring them back…"_

" _How about I do you one better?"_

_She turned around to the voice and saw her grandfather standing before her once again. He took a step toward her and began to say, "Callie, I can tell by what I've seen so far that, like my son, you are destined for greatness. The passion and the strong will you possess are enough to turn the world on its axis. You want them back, then go and get them."_

" _But—I thought that it was my time?"_

_He shook his head, "You don't belong here. You have to go back. You know that. And like you said, you're stubborn. If you want it, then fight for it."_

" _Fight for it." She whispered to herself. She took a deep breath and let it out. She looked up at him and said, "You're right. I don't belong here. I have promises to keep."_

_Callie could feel the relief come off of her in waves. She leaned in closer and pulled him into a hug._

" _You know, you're pretty cool, Grandpa."_

" _Right back at you, kiddo."_

_She pulled back from him and an unidentifiable force knocked her backwards. She saw him wave through the tunnel vision she was experiencing as he travelled further and further away. A wave of nausea swept her stomach and she closed her eyes to try and suppress the effects of the fast motion going past her._

Callie coughed a couple times and opened her eyes back up. The pain had returned but she didn't care. She had promises to keep and if she focused on that, she would be okay.

"Now…to put…that will…to the test."

She winced as she pushed herself away from the wall, the sturdy object holding her in an upright position. She fell forward, her left arm still cradling her stomach and used her right arm to crawl toward the altar. The blood on her arm was dried and she didn't know how long that she had been out. When the pain became too much she stopped.

"No…you…have to…keep…going…" she told herself.

She started again. The altar seemed like miles away but she pushed herself forward, screaming out in pain every time she moved a muscle. Her teeth were clenched, her face dripped in sweat and blood, but she moved forward for them…for all of them.

Once she was close enough she tried to reach up with her right hand but it wouldn't extend long enough. Releasing her grip on her stomach she extended her left hand and slapped it on the surface of her family's crest, pulling herself up.

As she stood her eyes were greeted by a large colorful portal in front of her. ' _Must have opened because of the blood on my hand,'_ she thought. Using the altar she swayed her body back and forth:

' _One for the money,'_ she swayed back. ' _Two for the show,'_ she swayed forward. ' _Three to get ready' s_ he swayed back. ' _And four to go…'_ then she swung herself forward into the portal.

She was encased by the rainbow light and before she knew it her body was once again met by a cold hard surface. Tears fell down upon her cheeks as pain ripped through her again. She let out an inaudible scream and rolled herself on her back, trying to seek some kind of comfort. On her back she stared up at the sky as the sun hid away from her on the horizon and the stars came out to play. Then she passed out.

~/~

_-Watchtower-_

Chloe swirled in her chair as she ate her Chinese food and monitored Metropolis. She was finally back in the full swing of being Watchtower again. Lois had been released a day earlier and she was grateful that every imaginable test that Dr. Hamilton had run on her had come back saying that Lois was completely healthy.

Moving her fingers across her tabletop technology, she expanded a window displaying Metropolis from her camera on top of Watchtower. She still couldn't get over all the cool stuff she had to work with. The surface computer she had and the various monitors around her were only a fragment of the technology that she was set up for her via Oliver Queen's funds. She could do so much with what she had, but it seemed for the longest time that the people she wanted to use it with had fallen off the face of the Earth. With Callie, she was able to tap into different resources and actually use her skills for something else than looking for Clark, Oliver or Lois at the time. When she finally felt she would be able to put it all to good use again, she felt it all crumble beneath her for a second time.

She had spent four days pent up with worry and while around forty percent went to Lois, another forty percent went to Clark (with the last twenty percent going elsewhere).

' _Clark.'_ She thought.

Staring at the image she brought up, she watched the lights of the city and the cars moving about. She sighed as she remembered that Metropolis was without its Blur. Kara had taken over patrol as she let Clark grieve. Metropolis was the same with attempted robberies, putting out fires, and saving the everyday person. She was thankful that nothing happened in the wake of his absence that Kara couldn't handle, but she couldn't seem to get used to the idea of Clark not being out there perched on a rooftop overlooking the city.

A shiver went down her spine.

"Maybe once he gets back on his feet again he'll be blurring before we know it." She sighed, taking another bite from her pork lo mein off her chopsticks.

A message suddenly popped up on her screen indicating a disturbance near the old railway just outside the city.

"What the—?" She said exchanging the chopsticks for the surface computer as she maximized the window with the slide of a finger. Perplexed, she got out of her chair and moved over to the other computer and pulled out the keyboard. She tapped away on a few keys trying to pinpoint what the disturbance was.

A red circle blinked on her screen over the outline of the tracks indicating an energy source. Then suddenly the blinking circle disappeared.

"Weird. Looks like I won't be getting out of here anytime soon."

As she was about to investigate further one thought, or rather person, popped into her head.

' _Lois.'_

She sighed regrettably as she remembered that she had promised Lois a movie night and cousin time since she was coerced into staying at the Talon for a few days to recuperate. It was a hassle telling Lois to stay home from work and her apartment. Plus, she had been sidetracked by some Watchtower work situations as well, so spending time together was supposed to be somewhat of a gift for both of them. Though, now, it looked like it wasn't going to happen after all.

Chloe picked up the cell phone to her side and texted Lois that she was bombarded with work and then threatened Lois not to do anything too strenuous now that she definitely wouldn't be there to watch over her. She waited and got no reply, which was either a good or bad thing. Deciding to let it go, she focused her attention back to the mystery energy source.

Curious as to what caused it she picked up her communication earpiece and placed it in her ear.

"Watchtower to Arrow."

There was silence and static then she heard, "Arrow, here."

Chloe brought up yet another window and split the screen in half. The window to her left showed the railway while the window on the right displayed a blinking green dot indicating Green Arrow's whereabouts.

"Arrow, I caught wind of a disturbance at the old railyard. I need you to check it out."

Hearing a roar of a motorcycle engine she heard his voice say, "Sure."

She sent the coordinates of the exact location of the energy source to his phone and said, "Sending the coordinates now."

"Got them. On my way."

She watched as the green dot moved around the streets of Metropolis and made its way to its destination.

"Turning on the camera in my glasses. Do you have visual?"

Chloe turned around to the computer behind her and pulled up the image from Oliver's sunglasses.

"Visual confirmed. Do you see anything suspicious?"

She watched as Oliver walked forward and the camera moved from left to right as he inspected the area.

"Negative. Nothing so far."

The monitor showed debris and weeds growing in the old tracks. She squinted and tried to see if she could find anything. It was dark out now, so it was hard to see anything, but the energy source had to have happened for a reason and she was determined to find out why.

In the darkness there was movement and Chloe saw as Oliver whipped out his crossbow and aimed in front of him. Through his voice changer he called out, "Hey you, what are you doing?"

She could see someone crouched over something. A scared homeless man turned around and said, "I just found her like this, I swear."

"Get out of here." Oliver yelled out.

"Y-y-y-yes, sir." The homeless man said as he stumbled and scrambled away.

As the man moved out of the way and she gasped at what graced her screen.

"Is that…?" She heard Oliver say.

Then the camera moved in a fast motion as he ran to the person's side and scooped them up. The visual was a hundred times clearer and there was no doubt on what she was seeing.

"Callie?" She breathed out.

Chloe hit the talk button of the earpiece and said, "Arrow, is she okay?"

"Callie, come on, speak to me." She heard him say. "I'm not sure." He replied.

Callie's eyes fluttered open on the screen and Chloe smiled brightly, bursts of relief flooding her body.

"Hey there, kiddo." Oliver said.

Callie's eyes traveled up to his and through the screen it seemed as if she were staring right at Chloe. "Hey, you found me."

"Callie…"

"Is she okay?" She asked in a graveled voice.

" She's fine. So is Clark. You did it."

She smiled slightly, though she looked like she was weak, a bit confused, and in pain. She wasn't used to seeing Callie this way. She had seen her after her run in with Metallo, but this, this looked so much worse. The cuts and bruising on her face. Her torn and bloodied clothes. She looked like she'd just been through hell.

"Good." She managed to say and then her eyes fluttered shut.

"Arrow, is she okay?" Chloe asked again.

Fingers came on the screen and she could tell that Oliver was checking her pulse.

"Her pulse is weak, but not too weak."

"Okay," she nodded trying to get her bearings straight, "Um, bring her to Watchtower."

"The Clocktower is closer."

"Fine, bring her there and I'll meet you as soon as possible."

She watched as he scooped a frail Callie into his arms and walked over to the bike.

"Arrow, how are you going to transport her?"

"Don't worry Watchtower, I've done this before. Over and out."

The feed was cut and all that remained was static on the screen. Chloe shook her head and smiled. "No way. No _freaking_ way!"

Turning off the monitor she grabbed her bag and her cell phone.

"Clark!" she said as she looked down at her phone. Dialing his cell phone, it didn't even ring and went straight to voicemail. "Clark, this is very important. I need you to call me back as soon as you get this!"

She hung it up, turned off the other monitor, and headed straight for the door and for Callie.

*/*

Chloe peeled back the doors of the elevator of the loft and found Oliver, still in his Green Arrow suit, placing Callie on the couch and putting a blanket over her.

"How is she?"

"She's pretty worn out. She had a bad gash on her stomach. It seems to be healing but…but I'm just confused. She's Clark's kid right? When Clark came back he was fine automatically. Why isn't she?"

Chloe moved to the couch and crouched down next to it, taking Callie's hand in both of hers.

"Callie told me she's ' _half and half'_ , half kryptonian and half human. My guess is that she was exposed to the Phantom Zone for too long and her human side compensated. Her kryptonian half needs time to recharge, more so than Clark because he's fully kryptonian."

"Yeah, I think I'll stick to all things not science or genetics related and just hop on whatever train of thought you're conducting."

She brushed some of the hair out of Callie's face and lightly traced the cuts that were slowly healing.

"I can't get in touch with Clark."

"That doesn't surprise me." Oliver said.

She turned to him and pulled out her phone again.

"I called Kara, but she's in Indonesia, you know that small earthquake that hit Jakarta?"

Oliver nodded.

Taking a breath she dialed the landline at the farm. "I'm trying the farm. Last resort."

She heard it ringing but then as the machine was about to come on there was a click and then nothing. She groaned and then decided to do the unthinkable. She was calling Lois. Pressing the number two, she used her speed dial, but instead of an annoyed Lois answering the phone it went straight to voicemail.

"What the hell? Even Lois isn't picking up."

"Maybe it's better off, Chloe. Wait until she's better then find Clark."

"Have you _seen_ the way she looks?"

"I **heard** that…" A small voice said next to her.

Chloe whipped her head to Callie and saw that she was again alert.

"Callie!"

"Hey, Chloe. What's shaken?" She said, her words clearly reflecting the discomfort she was in as she seemed a bit unsteady saying them.

"Apparently you," Ollie said. "What happened? How did you get out of there?"

"Let's just say I had some help from my grandfather and the Spice Girls."

"Okay, we can now note that she's delirious." Oliver said.

Chloe made a face at him then turned her attention back to Callie.

"Callie, how do you feel? Are you in pain?"

"I'm in enough pain to know I'm alive. So, that's good… _I think_."

"You want water or anything?"

"Water sounds good. I think I swallowed enough sand to start my own private beach."

"I'll get it." Oliver said, leaving the two girls alone.

Chloe still held her hand and smiled at her. "I can't believe you made it. We all thought…well we thought that…"

"I know." She said dryly. She took a deep breath and then looked straight into Chloe's eyes. "How is he? I mean how is he taking it?"

She didn't need to say his name, Chloe knew. After all that Callie had been through, Chloe still couldn't believe that still at the forefront of her mind was the well being of her father. Her arm could probably be hanging off by a string and she'd still be asking the same question.

"He's… he's dealing."

Callie narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow at the statement. "Dealing? Seriously, Chloe, who do you think you're trying to explain this to? Clark Kent doesn't just deal and you know that." Shifting in her position and hissing in slight pain as she did so, she continued, "So, I take it that he's secluded himself off from everyone and playing the 'It's All My Fault' game with Mr. Green and Fuzzy in the loft?"

"Not exactly. He's been at the farm, and yes, he hasn't talked to many people, including me, but Oliver saw him a couple days ago."

Callie's eyes looked over Chloe's shoulder and she turned to see Oliver coming back, glass of water in hand. He handed it to Callie and held the bottom with his fingertips, giving her further support as she lifted it up and drank it.

"Thanks." She said handing the glass back to him. "So, you saw him?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "He misses you a lot, kid. You can't blame him for needing time to heal by himself. The one thing I can tell you is that…it's not like last time."

"And he's not in the trench coat, right?"

Oliver chuckled, "Black may have found its way back into his wardrobe, but I didn't see a trench coat."

"Good." She said, leaning back on the couch. She sighed and closed her eyes. "I think I'll just rest a bit."

"Okay, you do that. I'll try to get in touch with Clark." Chloe said.

"No, leave him be for now. Hopefully, by morning I'll be at one hundred percent. I don't want him to see me like this."

Chloe gave her a sympathetic look. "Okay."

She looked over to Oliver who wore the same look on her face as she did. Through all the pain, all that she had been through, laid the little girl who still wanted to do everything in power to protect her father, especially when it meant from seeing her at a moment of weakness.

~/~

_Callie was running. It was dark but she knew they were behind her. Laughing, cackling. She picked up her pace and ran down the never ending tunnel. It started to become harder to run as the hard floor began to change in texture. Suddenly she was trudging on sand and no longer in the tunnel but in the Phantom Zone._

_She saw someone in a red and blue in the distance and sprinted to them. She ran as fast as she could but it seemed that it didn't matter how hard she ran, she couldn't get to him. Something then got in her way and she darted into it, falling to the ground and scraping her hands._

" _What do you think you're doing girly?" A voice asked._

_She looked down at her hands and they were bleeding. She also noticed they were smaller. She was smaller. Her lip started to tremble in fear and as a gigantic hand came for her._

_Her eyes widened and she started to cry. She wanted her Mom and Dad. She needed them. She began to sob and clutched the ground as she tried to crawl away. She felt the hand grab the back of her clothes, then…_

Callie sat up with a gasp, trying to regain her breath. She was sweating and the jolt reaction she had waking up sent twinges of pain across her stomach and back. She was healing, but she was still severely sore and could feel some wounds reopening.

"Hey, you okay?" Oliver said running up to the couch and crouching beside her. He placed his hand on her shoulder with concerned eyes.

"Yeah." She said, wincing a bit as she sat up. "Just a bad dream."

"You need anything?"

Callie looked around the rooms, her eyes searching for Chloe. "Where did Chloe go?"

"She headed back to Watchtower a little while ago. I promised her that I would watch over you."

"Is everything okay?"

"Kara needed some assistance and Chloe was just going to provide it. Now, you didn't answer me before. Do you need anything?"

Callie looked down at herself. Her clothes were torn with her blood soaked through the front of her shirt. She looked down at her hands and saw the scrapes and dried blood upon them.

"I'm thinking a shower wouldn't kill me." She used her hand to try and prop herself up and let out a yelp of pain, "Or maybe it will…"

"Hey," he said lightly touching her, helping her to her feet, "let me help you with that."

"Thanks." Said sheepishly, feeling her body tense up.

"Something tells me that you're not used to this."

"Not recently anyway." She said softly to herself.

Guiding her up the stairs slowly, he began to say, "The bathroom is right around this corner."

"I'm not blind. I don't need an escort to the bathroom."

"Hey, I'm taking precaution here. You might fall face first into the ground and I don't need Clark to kick my ass for that."

Callie smiled, her face hurt a little, but she did it anyway. "He would kick your ass."

They reached the door and she walked in cautiously. She got out of Oliver's grasp and propped herself in a standing position using the vanity.

"Towels are in the drawer right here," he said pointing to the white drawers in front of her. "If you need anything else, I'll be right out here."

"Thanks." She said waving him off as he closed the door. Once she heard the click she gradually peeled the clothes away from her body. She squeezed her eyes shut as she pulled her shirt over her head and bit her lower lip so she wouldn't squelch in pain. She took a breath and went for her pants and gradually got out of them too, one leg at a time. She looked over her shoulder into the mirror and saw the remaining abrasions. She rolled her eyes as she thought that it almost looked like someone took a rake to her back.

"Great."

Shaking her head she walked over to the stall shower and used the door to support herself. She turned the knobs on the wall and gasped as hot water hit the cuts on the front parts of her body. She ran her face under the steaming water and watched as red streams slid down her legs and into the drain. She looked down at her stomach and saw the souvenir a Zoner had given her. It was almost identical to the one she had a couple years back, before that one healed too.

She gritted her teeth as she saw the faces of the Zoners flash before her eyes. She shook her head, trying not to think about it. Instead she turned and let the water hit her back and braced her arms on the wall in front of her and leaned forward. It hurt like hell, but it also felt good, if that made sense. Focusing on the shower wasn't helping, though. She couldn't get the Zoners out of her head.

She turned back around and again put head under the water. She clamped her eyes shut but all that did was make it worse. There weren't only Zoners in her mind now. There was Darkseid, and then there was Toyman. She saw an image of Lex Luthor and the image of 'The Woman in Black'. Then a multitude of other villains flashed by including a recent image of Metallo.

Snapping her eyes open she looked straight ahead and balled her hands into fists, her lungs starting to breath in heavily. She saw Doomsday and for her that was the final straw. She let go and started to punch the wall and cry out. She ended her rampage and just stood still for a few seconds. The hot water hit her face and mixed with the hot tears pouring out of her. Some of the water got in her mouth and she spit it out. She turned the water off and just leaned against the door. She looked up, brushing away the water dripping down her face and examined the damage. The tiles were broken above the knobs of the shower and a gigantic hole was left in the wake of her emotional release.

"Way to go, Callie. It's not like he's not going to notice that."

Even though she felt bad about what she just did, she did feel some relief and it was evident that her powers were coming back. She looked down at her knuckles and wasn't surprised to not see a scratch on them.

Reaching for a towel from the drawer, she wrapped it around herself and took out another one for her hair. She turned the handle of the door and peeked out, checking both directions. She stepped out and was met by Oliver who was turning the corner.

"I thought I heard something. You okay?"

She nodded and started to walk past him. "Yeah, I'm fine…but sorry about your shower." She said, saying the latter part rather quickly.

He gave her a quizzical look and then walked into the bathroom for a brief moment and walked back out. She tried to read his expression as she bit her lip and looked down, avoiding his eyes.

"You mind telling me what _that_ was about?"

She shrugged one bare shoulder and said, "You know what they say: if you're angry count to ten, if you're _really_ angry…punch tile."

He smacked his lips together and nodded, "Well, I was going to renovate and put a giant hole there anyway, so you actually did me a favor." Then he smiled.

She couldn't help but smile back. "You're not mad that I just trashed your shower?"

"Did it make you feel better?"

She nodded.

"Then no, I'm not." He looked behind him and turned back to her saying, "I have some clothes for you in the back, why don't you get changed and I'll make some tea."

"Sounds good."

"Great."

He walked past her but she turned around and called his name. He stopped and twisted back to look at her.

"Thank you." She said.

"It's the least I can do." He said in such a heartfelt way, that she was blushing a bit and looked down at the ground.

He left again and was out of view. She peeked back into the bathroom on her way to get the clothes and sighed. She was haunted by the demons of her past and recent present. She was tortured in the Phantom Zone, but she stopped and reminded herself that there she was alone and had been fending for herself. Where she was at the current moment…she was loved and protected. Nothing was going to get her unless it had a death wish and that comforted her immeasurably.

*/*

Callie could feel the rays of the rising sun hit her body. As sunlight hit her face she could feel the cuts disappearing due to its healing effect. Her body elevated off the ground as the solar panel, or whatever it was within her, was recharging.

"Whoa." She heard a voice say.

She looked down and saw a surprised Oliver. Startled by him, and his reaction, she fell from the air and landed onto the balcony.

"Hey." She said awkwardly with a half wave.

"It's one thing to hear about what you can do, but to actually see it? That was amazing. Can Clark do that, too?"

She smiled and said, "You'll see."

She walked over to the bricks that made up the wall around the balcony. Placing the palms of her hands on them she just watched the rising sun, wondering who else was watching it too.

"I can see that physically you're better, but how are you dealing? From what I've been told that place isn't like Disney World." He said behind her.

Sighing, she turned to him and said, "It was tough. For a second there I thought it was all over for me, that finally my time had come. A part of me was even ready to accept that, like I had done my job or something."

"You were dying?"

"I think so."

"What happened then?"

She smiled and said, "Someone reminded me, beyond all this madness, how much I still have to do and who is out there waiting for me. I remembered that I have promises to keep…" she turned back to the sun and continued, "and miles to go before I _sleep_."

"Robert Frost." Her head whipped back to him after he said that. "I like his poems, too."

She nodded and started to move past him.

"Where are you going?"

He followed her to the elevator doors and she faced him. Before the doors closed she said, "Fulfilling a promise."

*/*

She walked up the driveway and saw him standing by the fence, his back toward her. He was reading something intensely, but lifted his head when he obviously heard her footsteps come closer.

She was nervous, she didn't know why, but she was. From what she had found out, she had been gone for four or five days. Lois had been released from the hospital the day before. She was healthy and that made her heart flutter with happiness. It had been all she had wanted all along, the safety of her parents.

She opened her mouth to say something, though before she could she heard him say, "That was quick. Did you finally decide on what you wanted for breakfast?"

' _He thinks I'm someone else."_ She thought.

She smiled and before she knew it she called out, "I was thinking pancakes, _in the shape of bunnies_."

She saw his body tense up. She walked a baby step closer, but he then whipped around so quickly that she almost took a step back. His facial expression surprised her; he stared at her, almost looking through her. She smiled at him, but he didn't do anything. She searched his face for some kind of reaction, but there was nothing.

"Hey," was all she could get out.

He took a step forward and she could tell that he was studying her. He took a few slower steps until he was situated right before her. Usually, by now, she would have made some kind of comment, like how she was a sight for his sore eyes, but she couldn't find her voice. She just watched him watch her and stood there, like a complete idiot.

He extended his hand and tapped her shoulder real quick. "You haven't disappeared yet," he said with such confusion on his face.

She placed her hand on her shoulder, still just the tiniest bit sore. "Ow. What did you do that for?" she asked, and then pushed him lightly in his shoulder.

He placed his hand where she had hit him and looked at her with wide eyes. "Callie, you're back…" He breathed out and quickly grabbed her in a hug, squeezing her so tight, and picking her up off the ground.

He swung her around as she smiled into his chest, staining his shirt with some fresh tears that managed to escape her eyes. "You must have really missed me," she said.

He placed her back on the ground and let her go. "Is it you? I mean really?" He asked, his hands grasping her shoulders. She could tell he was debating whether or not to believe she was the real deal. It hurt her to think that he could feel this way. It hurt even more to think this was what her father was going through in the future.

She gave him a bright smile, most of it for his benefit and peace of mind, and was about to say something when she was cut off by, "Callie! You're back!"

Callie turned to the direction of the voice and saw Lois coming their way from the kitchen door of the house. She looked so beautiful. When Callie had left her in the hospital she thought it could have been the last time she would have ever seen her again. To see her now, it was like she was experiencing the first time she had seen Lois when arriving in 2009 all over again. She wanted to run and do exactly what Clark had just done to her, but she needed to keep herself in check. She needed to keep her secret in check, no matter what her emotions urged her to do.

Though, she was puzzled by one thing. ' _What's she doing here?'_ She thought. ' _Cal, think about the question you just asked. Do we really want to go there?'_

"You can see her, too?" Clark asked, still astonished by her presence and breaking Callie out of her thoughts.

"Of course I can see her, Smallville; I think you need food more than me. Maybe it'll wake you up." She said as she patted his shoulder and moved to give Callie a hug. "It's nice to have you home."

"It's nice to be home." Callie replied, the most truthful statement she could make. It might not have been her 'actual' home, but it was as close as it was going to get and that was okay for her at that moment.

Lois let go then turned to Clark. "See, I told you that you would see her before you knew it. That just teaches you that I'm always right. Remember that." She turned back to Callie and said, "And since you're back I think this deserves a nice breakfast out, what do you say?"

Callie looked to Clark then back to Lois. "That sounds great."

She took a quick glance around the farm and couldn't even believe it herself. Days before she had been stuck in the Phantom Zone, fighting for her life. Hours before, she was lying in the Clock Tower recovering and waiting for her body to come back to full strength. Currently, before her were the two people that had gotten her through it all, even if they didn't know it.

"So, uh, where's your stuff?" Lois asked, clearly looking for Callie's bags.

"Um, funny thing" she did a nervous laugh and said, "my bags were kind of lost."

"That sucks."

"Majorly."

Callie turned to Clark who was still staring at her. "So, how about that breakfast? Kind of need it after a crappy flight."

"Right." He said snapping out of his daze, and understanding her double meaning. "I'll just get my keys and we can go."

"Good."

"Great."

She watched him walk up the driveway and go back inside. Once he was gone Lois placed her hand on Callie's shoulder and said, "He missed you a lot."

"I missed him, too. I missed both of you."

Lois smiled at her brightly and winked. "Right back at you."

There it was: the wink. It got her every time. It was in that moment she felt whole again. She didn't know why it took a wink to make her feel that way, but it did. The missing link was found and she was complete. Everything was going to be okay. She was going to be okay. She had come to the realization before, but it was reaffirmed. She wasn't alone anymore.

She heard the door to the house close and saw Clark exit out of it. He jogged down to them and the three of them just stood there.

"You ready?" he asked.

"More than you know." She said before hopping into the truck.

~/~

Clark opened the door for both women as they walked into the diner. Throughout the whole car ride all Clark could do was stare in the rearview mirror and watch Callie in the backseat. It was like he was waiting for her to vanish. He couldn't believe she was actually there. He had been so taken aback when he first saw her. He thought for sure that he was imagining it again, but when he touched her and she hit him back his confidence in her being real was restored. When Lois saw her, too, it was the final nail.

As they walked to the booth, Callie got in first, followed by Lois on one side and he sat across from the both of them. The waitress dropped a few menus in front of them but he kept staring at Callie. She was reading her menu and glanced up at him.

"What?" She asked. He could tell she was feeling a bit self-conscious.

Clearing his throat he picked up a menu and said, "Nothing."

He stared down at the menu and tried to read but with no avail. The words all blurred together and he had to shut his eyes and shake his head a bit. When he opened them back up he was able to read it.

' _Focus. This is probably hard enough as it is for her. Who knows what she's been through?'_

"Can I get you guys some to drink to start?" The waitress' voice asked.

"Coffee!" Callie exclaimed in excitement.

"Same here." Lois said.

The waitress turned to him and he nodded, "Make that three coffees."

She smiled and wrote down the order. "I'll be back in just a bit to take your food order."

After she left Callie put her menu down and propped her head on her hands as her elbows hit the table.

"What's the matter?" Lois asked.

"I don't know what I want. I hate menus. There are too many options."

"Then get everything. It's on Clark." She said with a smirk in his direction.

He returned it but there was a sparkle in her eye that he couldn't ignore. He returned that as well which he could guess got her a bit flustered as he saw some red creep onto her cheeks. The moment was broken as the waitress brought over their coffees and set them on the table along with a stack of creamers.

"So, what can I get you folks? Or do you still need some time?"

Callie looked up and said, "You guys go first, I still need a few seconds to make a decision."

"Okay, I want the French toast with eggs, scrambled." Lois said.

The waitress wrote it down and turned to him. He hadn't been paying attention to what was on the menu since he was so distracted with the whole Callie situation. "Um, I'll have…" then he smiled as he looked at Callie, "I'll just have the pancakes."

The waitress nodded then turned to Callie. She looked at Clark and went, "Pffft." He gave her a questionable glance and she only smirked and turned to the waitress.

"I'll have the chocolate chip pancakes, with scrambled eggs, bacon, and a side order of home fries." As the waitress was writing it down she then exclaimed, "oh, and a bagel. With butter on the side." She smiled and handed the menu to the woman.

' _I hope I have enough money.'_ He thought as he handed his and Lois' menus to the woman. He turned and gawked at Callie and spotted Lois giving her an identical look.

" _What_? I got the butter instead of the cream cheese. I went for the healthier part. Is it healthier?" She defended and then questioned.

"Yeah…because _that's_ why we're staring…" Lois said.

"I'm just hungry. I had a long trip." She sighed and looked down at her placemat. A smile came across her face as she stared at it. "Awesome, it's a map of Kansas!"

"And you're excited about that...why?" Lois asked.

Clark was intrigued by this as well. She seemed genuinely excited to have it in front of her. He figured it must be associated with something close to her in the future, but before he could ask she started to explain it herself.

"It's stupid, but I love maps. When I was little my dad would go on, um, these _business trips_ and I always wanted to know where he was. So, my mom would take out a map and we would try to find him. I loved maps so much that my parents used to bribe me with them." She looked to Clark and Lois awkwardly, "I was a weird kid."

"That's not weird." Clark assured her. He wondered though if her story was true or if she was just saying that to have some sort of explanation, even if it wasn't factual. He was really focused on one part of her speech, the part where she said that her father would go on business trips.

' _What kind of business trips?'_ he thought. ' _Daily Planets trips? Do I even still work there in the future? Or are they Blur related trips?'_

Clark was going to try to mull over further but Lois' voice brought him back to reality.

"I agree. I used to do that, too, whenever I found out we were moving to another base or when the General was traveling some place. So, if I did it too, not weird."

His mouth tugged into a half smile as he imagined a little Lois staring at a map, taking control and dictating what route would be best to their next destination. He glanced at Callie and wondered what she looked like as a little girl staring at maps with her mother (an issue Clark was trying to keep furthest from his mind) wondering where in the world he was. Guilt stung his heart. It seemed he always made her wait for him.

He watched as Callie smiled at the both of them then looked down. "Aw, man, look there's Liberal, Kansas!" She said pointing to the southwest portion of the map.

"What's so special about Liberal?" Clark asked, taking a sip of his coffee. He was really enjoying seeing Callie act like this. It seemed as though she was carefree and normal, instead of having just been stuck in a horrible prison haunted by the essence of the criminals trapped there.

"Okay, I'm seriously hurt that you know nothing of Liberal! Hello, Liberal has _International Pancake Day_. They have a race every year with the town of Olney in England and it involves pancakes! If you guys didn't know that then… _deprived_." She said as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Clark smiled to himself. He actually knew about that, but the look on her face as she described it made him feel… it made him happy. After she had pushed him out of the Phantom Zone and he had spent those past few lonely days on the farm he thought happiness wouldn't come to him in the near future. Then Lois showed up at the house and proved him wrong by easing his pain. Then there he was, proved wrong yet again, as he saw Callie's face beam with joy as she talked about, of all things, pancakes.

"Maybe we could take a trip there." He suggested.

Her eyes lit up. " _Seriously_?"

He nodded, "Well, if I'm so deprived I mind as well see it, right?"

The smile on his face faded as he watched her look down in sadness. With her eyes still stuck to the map she said, "Pancake day isn't until Mardi Gras."

He was going to question why that made her sad when he thought, ' _Right, she still needs to find a way home.'_

"So, we'll have our own Pancake day."

She was taken aback by his statement, he could tell, but he meant it. If it was going to make her happy and make her smile…he would do anything for her.

"Speaking of pancakes…" Lois said.

Clark looked up as the waitress came with a stack of chocolate chip pancakes and placed them in front of Callie. She looked like a child on Christmas morning waiting to unwrap her present. Then came the plate with the eggs and bacon, then the plates with the home fries and bagel.

' _Where is she going to put it all?'_

The waitress went back around the corner and within seconds reappeared with the rest of the order. "Enjoy." She said, placing down a stack of napkins.

He picked up his fork and was about to dig in when his eyes did an unconscious glance to Lois. He could tell that she was watching Callie so he shifted his gaze to her and saw her shoveling food from every plate into her mouth.

She looked up to Lois and then to him, swallowed her food, and asked innocently, "What?"

"You do realize no one is going to try and steal that from you, right? You don't need to inhale it all at once." Lois said,

"Well, it's the jet lag, you know? I, uh, get hungry from jet lag and the airplane food was just horrible." She offered as an explanation.

He watched as Lois nodded then said, "Where were you? I forgot to ask." Then she quickly followed with, "But you don't have to answer if it's too much."

"Well—." Callie started and then looked at Clark. "We were in Poughkeepsie. A family member of ours was sick."

Clark sat back and watched Callie take charge of their cover story. ' _Where is she going with this?'_ Clark wondered.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Lois said sympathetically.

"Thanks. Everything is okay. She's okay. I'm okay. You're okay. Clark's okay. Everything is a-okay. Back to the way it should be." She rambled.

Lois cocked her head to the side and asked, "You didn't want to stay?"

"Well, I sent Clark back to Smallville after everything. I wanted him to make sure that you were okay." She gave him a heartfelt look. "But ultimately I stayed as long as I could. Honestly, I didn't belong there." Lois gave her a questionable look and she added, "Besides, it's Poughkeepsie. How long can you stay in Poughkeepsie?"

"You didn't need to send him back for me." Lois said and glanced Clark's way. "The five dozen roses that he sent were company enough."

"Five dozen roses?" Callie asked casually then looked his way.

He could feel his cheeks heating up. He looked up, met her eyes, and confirmed what she had heard saying, "Yes, five dozen roses."

He waited for her to have something clever to say, but she shrugged one shoulder and said, "Hmm." Then she took another bite of her meal.

' _What is that supposed to mean?'_

Lois smirked and he wondered if they had some sort of joke just between the two of them. He subtly narrowed his eyes in thought. They had done it before to him, formed a team and ganged up on him, but they all had been together the entire time. They couldn't have an inside joke between them, not about that.

' _Women,'_ he thought.

"I'm still really sorry that I couldn't be there. And Clark, you got back, what? Yesterday?" She said.

He nodded his head and looked down at his food. She was covering for him and was really good at it, too. She was giving Lois a reason why he wasn't there. An alibi. She didn't have to do that for him, but he figured it was more for Lois than anyone else.

"Callie, I was fine. I understand."

"But I know how much you hate hospitals."

"Yeah, being stuck with Nurse Ratched wasn't the highlight of my life, but everything is fine now. I don't know why you're feeling so bad about it. You had a lot of other important things to deal with than me."

"That's not true and even if we did have an emergency come up it doesn't make you any less important."

He thought about her words. They were true but a sense of déjà vu hit him. He could hear his voice saying those words. He had said variations of them in the past, now he wondered how many variations of that phrase he said in the future. Mostly, he wondered how many times he had said that to her.

"She's right, Lois." He said.

"Okay, look, you guys. That's sweet and all, but it's not needed. I'm _fine_. Now eat before all your food gets cold."

He could tell that she was uncomfortable and avoiding the attention and the worry they had for her. He wished that she could understand how much he felt for her. How her being in that hospital had torn him inside. Though, maybe she did understand and like him was afraid to face it.

"Lois—." He began but her eyes shot up to him and she said, "You know what. I'm all out of coffee. I'm going to see if I can find that waitress." She then scooted out of the booth and away from the table.

"Something we said?" Callie asked.

"I think that's just Lois being…"

"Lois?" Callie finished with a grin.

He nodded and said, "Yeah, I guess."

"Word of advice, work on the adjectives for her. Trust me, they'll come in handy."

Seeing as how they were alone now, he saw this an opportune time to get some of the answers to the questions that had been stressing him since she had been stuck in the Phantom Zone (and especially now that she was out). As he was about to voice one of them she caught him off guard with, "So what's up with you two? You guys having sleepovers when I'm not around?"

Clark coughed a couple times and stumbled, "It's—it's not like that."

"Hey, whatever, you don't have to, nor do I want you to, explain it to me" she said raising the palms of her hands to him, "in my mind you guys are in footed pajamas playing Scrabble. Let's keep it that way."

Clark looked over his shoulder and made sure that Lois wasn't coming. He then leaned forward and asked, "Callie, what happened in the Phantom Zone?"

She was mid-bite when he asked the question. She looked up to him and saw a collection of fear, anxiety, and anger flash in her eyes. That and the glowing red that had been there for a brief second let him know what she was feeling.

"That bad…" He said guiltily. Not that he thought she was having a blast while being stuck there, but just seeing her face made him feel worse for not going back there the second he had had the chance.

"Being there? _What_? No way." She said sarcastically. "I'm thinking about getting a timeshare there. You want to go halfsies?" She asked, wriggling her eyebrows.

"You don't have to hide it from me. You can tell me what happened."

"Maybe I don't want to tell you." She said in a low voice while picking at her plate.

"Callie, I—I wanted to go back for you."

She let out a soft laugh and put down her fork. "I know you did. That's why I told you in the letter not to."

"Did the Zoners hurt you badly?" He asked trying to examine her, but any remnants of any attack were now gone.

"I was roughed up a little. Nothing I couldn't handle."

"You didn't antagonize them did you? Like that one Zoner?"

"No," she said, but he didn't believe her. "And in my defense, that Zoner kept saying 'Kal', and I got confused."

He smiled and shook his head. His eyes dropped back down to his plate but then something clicked in his head. His eyes quickly went back to her and his mouth became agape.

' _You really are dense, Kent.'_

He couldn't believe he didn't connect that while they were in the Phantom Zone. Granted other things _were_ on his mind, but still, a very large piece to the Callie puzzle lied within her name. Rather, his Kryptonian name. He could sense his heart swell with pride as he thought of that.

' _She's named after me.'_

"Okay, I finally found her on her ' _so called break'_ ," Lois' voice said as she walked back to the table. "I'll be able to get my refill of coffee shortly."

"I'm sure we're all grateful for that." He said dryly, receiving a glare in response from her. He just smiled and she smirked drumming her fingers on the table.

Clark got himself back in check, putting the information he had just uncovered on reserve for later. He knew that he could at any time confront Callie, but she was keeping this from him for a reason and he was going to let her keep that information until she was ready. For him, however, he was able to get the tiniest glimpse into his future life and what was in store for him. At that moment a smile tempted his lips but he held it back.

The waitress then came and filled up the cups at the table. "There you go, Lois."

"Thanks, Fran." She said with a wide smile.

The woman smiled back and left the table.

"On a first name basis now are we?" Clark asked, trying to suppress another grin.

"Hey, she handles the coffee, Clark. I had to be on my best behavior."

"I'll keep that in mind at the office." He said leaning forward in a husky voice. He didn't know where it came from but she didn't seem to be opposed to it from the look in her eye.

"You do that." She said mimicking his action of leaning forward. He felt a tingling pulse throughout his body as he detected a bit of a seductive tone in her voice.

"Do you guys want to be alone?" Callie asked, cringing at the scene.

They both awkwardly looked to her then to each other and leaned back into their regular position in the booth saying in unison, "No."

She nodded, eating the rest of what was on the plates in front of her. "And… done." She smiled triumphantly then slapped her hands on her belly and said, "I think I'm going to explode."

"Well, explode in Smallville's direction," Lois said pointing to Clark as she held her coffee up and took a drink.

Callie smiled and said, "Anyone have a pen?"

Clark shook his head but Lois got up and reached over the counter by the register and picked one up. She threw it to Callie and said, "There you go."

"Thanks." She said as she flipped over her placemat and drew on it. While she was doing that he continued what was left of his meal as did Lois. It was amazing that even with all the food that Callie had, she had been done before the two of them, but then again, he knew what he was like when he was hungry and for everything she had been through he couldn't blame her for gorging down a heavy meal.

"I think I'm done." He said.

"Me too." Lois said, placing down her empty cup. She moved her body out of the booth, but still sitting down, and called out "Hey, Fran, can we get the check?"

Clark rolled his eyes at her behavior but moments later the woman was at the table placing the check in the middle. "You guys have a lovely morning."

"Thanks." He said.

He grabbed the check and looked at it. He expected it to be higher than it was and was relieved that the breakfast wasn't going to drain his account (not that he really thought it would). Lois and Callie exited their side of the booth and he did the same. He threw down a generous tip for Fran and made sure he had everything. When he looked up he found Lois and Callie were already gone. He shook his head and went to the register and paid for the meal.

As he was on his way out he heard, "Hey!"

He turned around and saw the waitress coming toward him with a piece of paper.

"Does your sister want this? It's really good."

A perplexed look crossed his face and he asked, "My sister?"

"Yeah, the younger girl that was with you and Lois. I just assumed that she was your sister since you guys look alike. Same features and eyes and all."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry."

She smiled and handed him the paper. "She's really good." She said again then turned around and left.

Clark looked down at the paper and noticed that Callie had sketched the entire Kent Farm on the back of the placemat with the farm house, the barn, chicken house, the silo, the tractor, all the animals in the yard, and the fence that held them in. He smiled wide as he noticed she had even drawn bunnies next to the chicken house.

' _She's always got to get those bunnies in.'_

He folded the paper and headed outside. He saw Lois standing by the truck but he didn't see Callie. He walked over and asked Lois, "Where's Callie?"

"She was right behind me but then she wasn't there anymore. I assumed she was with you."

Clark's eyes widened and as he turned around the pit of his stomach started filling up with dread. He scanned the area around them but he couldn't find her. He turned back to Lois and said, "I'm going to go find her, you stay here, okay?"

She narrowed her eyes to him and asked, "Clark, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He tried to assure her. "I'm just going to go find her."

He took off before she could respond and found himself running to the back of the diner for cover. Taking a deep breath he concentrated his vision and decided to focus it on the span of trees that decorated the scenery. He saw someone in there and supersped in. Once he reached them he noticed that the person had long dark brown hair and as they moved out from behind the tree he recognized the outfit.

"Callie!" he called out and ran for her.

She looked up and saw that she was carrying a bunny in her arms. "Whoa there, Buttercup. Where's the fire?"

He went to say something but closed his mouth instead. The relief was falling off of him and he tried to calm himself down.

"Hey, are you okay? Is it Lois? Is she okay?" She said, clearly starting to panic from his actions.

"She's fine. What the hell are you doing back here?"

She looked down to the bunny and pet it. "This little guy got lost. I was just putting him back in here before he got hit by a car."

As the relief was falling away anger was taking its place. "You scared me half to death, Callie!"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry is not good enough." He snapped back.

She bowed her head down and let the bunny jump out of her arms. She looked back up at him and he knew that look. It was the look he would give his parents when he was waiting for a lecture or punishment.

He took a deep breath and said, "Callie, I just—you never told me your plan in the Phantom Zone and I lost you. I've been walking around for days wracked with guilt because I couldn't save you. I finally got you back and I turn around for a second and you're gone. I panicked."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't say you're sorry. Say you'll promise that you'll tell me things. I want you to tell me even if it's as little as sending a bunny off in the wild and especially if it's a life or death decision. I don't want anything to happen to you. Promise me."

"I promise." She said.

"Good. Now, come on."

She nodded and followed him out of the woods and around the diner. Once they got to the parking lot she tugged his arm and he looked at her.

"We're good right?" She asked, looking up at him with childlike eyes.

She didn't want him to be angry with her and he didn't want to be angry at her, but he had to let her know what he had felt. He knew in his heart that she understood and that this probably wasn't the first time she had heard it before.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and said, "Yeah, we're good."

"Good." She smiled.

"But don't call me ' _Buttercup'_ ever again." He said seriously.

Her smile widened, "Now that" she paused then continued, "That I can't promise."


	21. Chapter Twenty: Feels Like Home…?

**Chapter Twenty:** _**Feels Like Home…?** _

Callie placed the side of her head on the window of the door as she watched the scenery roll by. Breakfast had been great, even though she was still sort of hungry, but after finishing it, she had slipped out of the booth and had been right behind Lois on the way out when something caught her eye. She saw a bunny in the middle of the road. She had seen a car coming and the bunny was frozen in its spot so she dashed (superspeed dashed) out and scooped it up, racing to the woods in the back of the diner to set it free in a safer environment.

When Clark had found her he seemed pretty shaken up at the fact she had run off without consulting him, which she could see his reasons after everything they had just been through, but the way he was constantly watching over her, even in the car with his eyes glancing in the mirror every few seconds, was getting on her nerves.

Sighing, she couldn't be _that_ annoyed at him. She had disappeared, been presumed dead and he was still adjusting. Hell, she was still adjusting. The minute she fell back to Earth she had been in a fog. She grimaced thinking about the pain she felt when she had fallen from the portal.

' _Jor-El could have at least programmed a mattress to be there when anyone landed couldn't he have? He was such a brilliant scientist, right? Hello, basic physics, heavy object + falling to ground = heavy object in pain.'_

After everything that had happened in the Phantom Zone, she thought back to her other recent close call. She had been too headstrong. Again, she had wanted to help in a situation where she was out of her league and her father was involved. She had put herself at risk, had almost died until her powers had revived her, and had broken a promise she had made to her parents. It took her a little while to regain that trust back and now all she could think was how _maybe_ she had lost it again in the future. She had run off, _again_ , to try and help, _again,_ only to be taken away from them, _again,_ and this time it was for more than a minute or two.

Sighing once more she looked forward. There she was, her mother. She had no idea what was going on or what had just occurred days before and that killed Callie even more. They had such an open relationship in the future and not being able to tell her who she truly was, well, that was the worst feeling she could even encounter. Callie shook her head and looked back out the window, the scenery rolling by.

Home was still too far away.

~/~

Lois pulled down the visor above her and slid the casing to reveal a mirror. She brushed her bangs to the left side of her face but in doing so her eyes travelled and landed on Callie in the backseat. She looked so forlorn and sad. After she saw Clark and Callie both heading back to the car she could feel the atmosphere change from what it had been in the diner.

She looked to the left, to Clark, and could see his eyes darting to the mirror every few seconds.

' _What the hell happened back there?'_

Putting the visor back up and she moved her eyes to the scenery. They were getting back into town when something dawned on her.

"While we're out Smallville, you mind if we make a pit stop?"

He looked to her then back to the road. "What kind of pit stop?"

"I just need some things from the store. Chloe's been working late nights and I haven't been out much since apparently I wasn't _allowed_ to do _anything_ for a few days. We're low on some stuff and I want to stock up before I finally pack up and head back to my apartment in Metropolis."

She watched as several emotions flashed across Clark's face but she couldn't tell what they were from the angle she was looking at him. He always hid his emotions, to be honest, but there was something that was nagging at her.

' _Is he mad that I'm going back to Metropolis?'_ She thought.

Lois shook her head of those thoughts and watched as Clark drove through town then into the parking lot of the only grocery store within a few miles. As soon as Clark parked the car, she undid her seatbelt and hopped out.

She caught up with Callie, who had jumped out just as quick as she had and was in front of her, saying, "I hope you don't mind the detour."

"Why would I mind?"

"Well, you just got in; I thought maybe you would want to rest or something."

"No, this is perfect." She smiled.

Lois smiled back and felt a pang of something in her heart.

' _Why the hell does that keep happening?'_ She asked herself.

Shaking it off, she turned around and saw Clark coming, pushing a cart their way. He made a sudden stop and he stared into the distance as if he were concentrating on something. She had seen that look before, and it usually resulted in him making up some lame excuse and leaving.

He looked back in their direction and said, "I, uh, forgot something in the truck. I'll be right back."

"Uh, okay." Lois said, taking the cart from him.

' _So called that one.'_

She started to push the cart in the direction of the entrance, but stopped and turned back to see him running back to the truck. She couldn't help but feel like something was off.

"Are we still going in?" Callie asked.

Lois turned to Callie. "Oh, um yeah."

"You okay?"

Lois smiled, "Of course, I am."

The two of them walked into the store and stood still, watching the hoards of people already in the market.

"So, where do we go?" Callie asked, leaning into her.

"Well, I need to pick some things up for me and then I figured we'd get you stuff so you wouldn't starve."

"Aw, you really do care about me." Callie said playfully, placing her head on Lois' shoulder.

"Yeah, well, us girls have to stick together."

"I concur."

"Okay, I say let's start with the basic essentials. Make sure we have our coffee, popcorn, and our donuts."

Callie burst out in laughter. Lois swatted at Callie's shoulder in mock pain, and then she started to laugh herself.

She pushed the cart in the intended direction of where her "essentials" were, when suddenly the cart veered off toward the toweling stocked up in front of the first aisle. Callie managed to push the cart out of the way before it hit, which Lois was grateful for. The last thing she needed was to be responsible for a _cleanup in aisle whatever_.

"Of course Smallville picks the _Christine_ of carts." She mumbled in annoyance.

" _Christine_?" Callie asked.

"Stephen King, horror movie. Car who killed people. Death on wheels."

"Ah. Got it." She nodded.

"We'll watch it sometime."

"Okay." She smiled.

Focusing back on the cart, she gripped it tighter as she began to push it again, hoping that this time it would stay straight.

"Okay, coffee, here we come."

~/~

Callie shoved her hands into her pockets and she glanced around as they went down another aisle. Some of the items looked familiar again, others not. The supermarket where she was from was of course more updated, and sometimes they would just get their groceries delivered because of everyone's hectic schedules, but she had been in this situation numerous times before: shopping with her mom.

She watched as Lois pushed the cart forward, cursing mildly under her breath as the cart swerved to the left, again, because of its crooked wheel. She held back a grin as she heard it. In the future, that would have cost her around five dollars to the cursing jar.

As they rounded another aisle Callie looked to her right and gasped at what she saw on the shelves. Her gasp was so loud that Lois stopped and turned back.

"What?"

"NO. WAY. I used to live on this stuff as a kid."

"What?"

Callie's smile went from ear to ear and then she started to jump up and down as she snatched the item from the shelf and held it close to her chest. She knew she was acting like a crazy person and beaming like an idiot, but she didn't care.

"Okay, what has got you so jazzed that you're acting like a pyro in a candle shop?"

Callie extended the item, waving it, and exclaiming, "It's Elmo! It's Elmo! It's Elmo!"

"The little red gremlin from Sesame Street has you so wound up?"

"It's not the fact that it's Elmo, but what is _inside_. This is Peach and Pear. Separate? **Ew**. Together? **Yum**. If ' _Awesome_ ' had a taste, it would taste like this…well this and maple donuts."

"The donut angle, I agree with. The whole peach and pear thing? Yeah, not so sure."

"Trust me, this is juice boxed gold right here." She said, throwing four wrapped packages into the cart.

"Four packages?"

"What?" She shrugged. "Two for five."

Lois shook her head, "I guess I'll have to take your word for how good it is. But, you mentioned the magic words just a second ago."

"Magic words?"

"Yup, maple and donut."

Callie smiled. "I'll go get a few…or a few dozen."

"My thoughts exactly. I'll be around here." She said pointing to the next aisle as Callie left and went in search of the donuts.

She walked down the aisles and navigated her way to the bakery. She was surprised to see packages of twelve already sitting on a table, waiting as if they knew she was coming.

She grabbed two and breathed in the scent of their mapley goodness. The scent triggered a memory and her mind was rushed back to when she was fourteen and her brother was eight. A special day on the horizon and a special present that they were both determined to finish in order to indulge a very special someone.

" _No, I'm telling you, this one should go here!" Callie said moving a maple donut to the side of the mound of donut on the plate that she and her brother had just created. "That way it won't topple over!"_

" _But if you put it there, it looks lopsided."_

" _Well, no one said it was going to look perfect."_

" _We need candles!" C.J. exclaimed running back into the kitchen._

" _Dad's on candle duty."_

" _He's not going to use the trick ones again, is he?" he asked grimly._

" _Not if he learned from last year." she smirked._

_A gust of wind blew Callie's hair back, but she concentrated on leveling the donuts, unfazed by the feeling._

" _You guys almost ready?" her dad asked._

" _Just... about." Callie said arranging the tray and putting her final touches._

" _It kind of looks lopsided." He said tilting his head to the side._

" _That's what I said, Dad!" C.J. said._

_Callie glared at both of them, "Hey, it's what's on the inside that counts. The thought of it, too! Besides, it kind of reminds me of the 'Leaning Tower of Pisa'. It's a work of art."_

" _Yeah, we'll just tell Mom it's the 'Leaning Tower of Maple Donuts.'"C.J. mocked._

_Callie glared intensely at him until her father put his hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him._

" _She's going to love it." He smiled and assured her._

_Callie smiled back and then collected all the items she needed onto the tray. She placed the maple donut cake she and her brother had assembled in the center. She then placed a freshly brewed cup of coffee to its right and her brother put the vase of lilies and the cards they had made for her on the left side. She lifted it up carefully and began to walk down the hallway until her father stopped her._

" _We need this." He said placing a blue candle in the middle._

_Callie raised an eyebrow, "What does this one do?"_

" _You'll see." He smirked._

_Callie rolled her eyes, "Why do the two of you do this to each other every year?"_

" _It's just our thing." He shrugged._

" _Sure." Callie turned to her brother, "Our parents are so weird."_

_Arriving at the door, her dad opened it slightly. Her mom was still sleeping. They slowly crept in and her father went over to her side of the bed and quietly nudged her._

" _Happy Birthday, Lo." He whispered._

_It was tender and loving and Callie couldn't help but feel like she was caught in the middle of an intimate moment._

_Her mother then stirred awake and turned to see her and C.J. at the foot of the bed._

" _What's this?" She asked, turning to look at them._

" _We made you a birthday breakfast!" her brother exclaimed._

" _You made it?" She asked, eyeing what was on the tray._

" _Well, technically the donut shop you love made it, but we put it together and added the special ingredient." Callie said._

" _Oh yeah? What's that?"_

" _Love." She said, fluttering her eyes._

_Her mother started to laugh and she turned to face her dad. "So what's the plan this year? Will the candle make my donut cake explode?"_

" _Nope. Something better."_

" _It's going to set the house on fire?"_

_Her father rolled his eyes and then used his heat vision to light the candle. Suddenly music filled the air. A Whitesnake song._

" _Okay, that's so much better than Happy Birthday." She reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss and breathed, "Thank you."_

" _Ahem. Kids are still in the room." Callie said._

" _Oh right." Her mother and father blushed a bit. "Let's see this cake." She said clapping her hands together and rubbing them._

_Callie smiled as she unfolded the legs to the tray and placed it over her mother's torso as she sat up._

" _Wow, this looks great you guys."_

" _It looks lopsided." her brother said, hopping on the bed._

" _Shut up, Chisto-PHER."_

" _Whatever, Calis-TA."_

" _Hey, stop it, it's my birthday."Their mother said._

" _Sorry, mom." They said in unison._

" _And this is perfect." She said to the both of them._

" _Blow out your candle, Mom." C.J. said._

" _And don't forget to make a wish." Callie added._

_Her mother nodded, then closed her eyes and blew the candle out, the song ending abruptly. She then turned to her father and said, "Now, where's my present, Smallville?"_

Callie held the packages tight and brushed away whatever slight emotion that was building in her eyes. Her mother's birthday was coming up soon. August. She wasn't sure if she'd still be around, but if she was she was going to make it just as memorable as the ones she'd done in the past—er, the future—oh, she knew what she meant.

Walking around the store and peering down each aisle she finally found Lois, still getting aggravated with the cart.

"Hey, got another _essential_." Callie said placing the two packages in the cart.

"Great!"

"So, what next?"

"Anything you want."

"Anything I want?"

"Yeah, my treat."

"You don't have to do that. Besides, I already have my nostalgic juice boxes in there."

"I know I don't have to, but you must want something other than a drink with a puppet on the cover."

Callie rolled her eyes but succumbed to the offer, "Okay."

*/*

After minutes of yet again going up and down aisles, avoiding hitting displays with the cart, and searching for food items she wanted, Callie and Lois seemed to be having the time of their lives. They were noticing the same foods that they loved, cracking the same jokes, mocking the same people, basically just being on the same wavelength. It was a double edged sword. As much as Callie loved it, it made her miss her mother more and more.

She had finally decided on an array of chips and a few boxes of macaroni and cheese, because Callie thought to herself, ' _Hey, how hard could that be to make?'_ She had managed it before; it shouldn't be hard to do it where she was now.

The two of them made their way to the checkout line and Callie picked up a magazine and flipped through it. She recognized some people, others not so much. Placing it back on the rack she helped Lois put the groceries on the belt and listened to the ' _beep_ ' every time an item was swiped. She looked up and saw the checkout boy looking at her and smiled. She turned her eyes away from him and looked outside.

She could see the truck parked in the parking lot, but Clark was still nowhere to be found. She began to worry a little but she tried to brush it off. She didn't want to dwell on that. She was having a good time, something she needed and wanted to continue. If she focused on where he was or what he was doing it would just make it worse.

' _He's fine, Callie. If he weren't, you'd be the first to know.'_

Finishing up she pushed the cart down for the bag boy to load it up.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey."

"You new in town?"

"I'm staying with my cousin for a little while."

"Cool."

She nodded, not knowing what to say next and desperately wanting Lois to hurry up. As if her internal plea was answered, Lois appeared beside her and asked, "You ready?" eyeing her and then the bag boy.

"Yes." She turned to the guy and said, "Thanks."

He nodded and she pushed the cart, as fast as she could without looking like a fool, toward the exit.

"Now, I know another reason why they call them checkout boys." Lois said.

"Why's that?"

"Hello, he was clearly interested in you."

Callie blushed, embarrassed. "Oh, stop."

"Nothing to be ashamed of, it's clearly a compliment."

"Yeah, but _still_ …"

"Oh, come on, if you can't talk about this stuff to me, who are you going to tell? Clark?"

"God no." She exclaimed.

"Exactly."

"But still, it's…."

"Okay, okay…boys are a sore subject."

"For now." Callie said, implying that when she was ready, she'd talk.

"Okay, then." Lois smiled. She pushed the cart off to the side and lifted the bags out of the carriage.

"Now where the hell is Smallville? He said he forgot something in the truck and that was how long ago? My arms are going to break."

"I'm right here, Lois." He said, as he stood behind them.

"Good." She said shoving the bags into his chest. "Where were you?"

"Well, I forgot something and then I walked into the store and I couldn't find you. I decided to come out here and here you are."

She narrowed her eyes at him and Callie could tell she wasn't really buying the excuse, which really was lame. With a " _hmm_ ", she turned and walked to the passenger side of the truck. Clark looked to Callie who only shrugged.

As Clark went to put the groceries away in the truck, Callie stifled a laugh at what had just occurred and carried her bags with her to the back door. She got in and placed the bags to her side. As Clark got in he started the truck and Lois went right for the radio.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I did the shopping while you were off doing whatever. I get dibs on the radio."

" _Lois_."

" **Clark**."

He relented and sat back in his seat. Lois smiled triumphantly and played with the dial trying to find a station. Clark for a second took his eyes off the road and looked down at Lois, a smile appearing on his face.

Callie looked to both her parents and sat back in her seat. Their smiles were infectious as she felt one forming on her lips, too. She could tell there was a jovial feel in the atmosphere of the truck. The looks and the actions…that's when it all clicked for Callie. Suddenly, home wasn't that far away after all.

*/*

Minutes later, arriving at the farm, Callie, Clark, and Lois each helped carry the groceries into the house. Callie placed her bags on the island and turned her head to look at the house. It was the first time she had been in it since she had been back. Pillows and a blanket were thrown about on the couch, which was something she didn't want to think about, and the rest of the house seemed pretty tidy. Her eyes landed on the phone, whose line was not connected into the jack in the wall. Going over there she plugged it in. As she did so, she was mildly startled when it began to ring. Instinctively she went for it, only to kick herself internally for doing so.

"Kent residence." She said.

"Hello." A familiar female voice said hesitantly, "is Clark around?"

"Sure, may I ask who is calling?"

"His mother."

Callie nearly dropped the phone. Of course it was his mother— _her grandmother_. This was just her luck.

Trying not to freak out, but also feeling a sudden surge of politeness, caked with nervousness, take over, she said, "He's right here, just hold one moment."

She cupped the bottom of the phone and held it out for Clark. "It's for you," she said trying to keep her hands from shaking.

' _Dude, get a grip. She can't see you on this kind of phone.'_

"Who is it?" He asked.

"Your mom."

His eyes widened and he grabbed the phone from her and headed into the other room. Callie turned to watch him letting out a breath of relief. She didn't know why she was overcome with emotion like that, but she knew that her grandmother would be asking questions, a lot of them.

"What was that about?" Lois asked, placing some groceries away.

"Family stuff," was all she could say.

~/~

Clark walked toward the living room and then decided to go out on to the porch. Looking out onto the farm, he took a deep breath and said, "Hi, mom."

"Clark, honey, who was that answering the phone?"

' _My daughter? Your future granddaughter? Yeah, that would go over well…'_ he thought.

"Just someone I'm helping out, Mom." He said as he walked along the porch, sliding his hand across the rail.

"It's good to hear that again. I was really worried there for a while."

"Yeah, I know."

"So, how is everything? How are you, sweetie?"

"I'm fine, Mom. Everything is good. Great actually."

"I see. And how is Lois? You said a few days that she was in the hospital, how is she now?"

"She's good, too. Really good." He said smiling.

"Mmhmmm."

"Is that supposed to imply something?" He asked, leaning against the house.

"Let's just say that even though I'm not in Smallville, a mother still knows, dear."

"Knows what?"

Then he heard her chuckle over the receiver. Sighing, he opened the door and walked back into the house. He stopped and watched as Lois and Callie started to put things away. They were laughing, and the rapport they had, the actions, the fluidity of their motions, it all seemed like a routine they had performed a million times.

Walking in further, he watched for a bit longer, their laughter becoming intoxicating, until his mother's voice caught the attention of his ear.

"Honey, did you hear what I just said?"

"Um, no, sorry, Mom. I got distracted for a second."

Callie and Lois stopped, obviously broken out of their routine by his voice.

"I said that I received a call this morning from Todd Johnson, the man who orchestrates the Smallville festival."

"Right."

"Yes, he said that he called last night and this morning and got no answer."

"I sort of unplugged the phone last night."

He looked at Lois, who looked at him too but quickly avoided his gaze to look at the floor. Callie looked from him to her and back to him. She shook her head, obviously not wanting to know what the looks were about, and went back to putting away the groceries.

"Really, why?"

"Just wanted a night without interruptions," he said, still staring at Lois.

"Well, I'm glad I caught you because every year we contribute to the festival and I was hoping that this year wouldn't be any different."

"No problem, Mom. I know exactly what to do."

"Good."

"Was that it?" he asked.

"Yes, that was it. I'm going to be in some meetings for the next couple days but I'll try to call again."

"Okay."

"Oh and Clark…"

"Yeah?"

"Whatever happened to bring that joy back to your voice, I hope it stays."

Clark looked at Callie and Lois longingly, "Yeah, me too, Mom."

"I love you, honey, and tell Lois I said hello."

"I love you, too, and I will."

There was a click and then the line went dead. Clark put the phone back down on the charger.

"My mom says hi." He said to Lois as he walked into the kitchen.

"Tell her I said hi back. Is everything okay?" She replied.

He could tell there was a bit of awkwardness between them, the memory of what had almost happened the night before, what he wished would have happened, still looming. His conversation about the phone being unplugged brought it back and it reminded him he wanted to get back to what he hoped they could finish.

"Yeah, I just have to get things ready for the Smallville Harvest Festival."

"Smallville Harvest Festival? Oh, right that's coming up." Callie said. She turned to Lois and said, "Are you going this year?"

"Well, I don't know…"

"Oh, you have to go!" Callie insisted.

"I'll think about it."

As Clark was about to say something a cry for help in the distance caught his ear. He loved what he did, saving people, but it also seemed like the people that were in need were so at the most inopportune moments.

"I, uh, forgot to get something when we were at the store earlier." He said.

"Right!" Callie chimed in, having seen the look on his face. "I know exactly what you're talking about. And I really wanted those chocolate covered marshmallow cookies, so if you could get those…"

He gave her a slight glare.

"What? You're going out anyway." She shrugged.

"Okay, well, I'll be right back." He said quickly.

Bypassing them he opened the kitchen door and jogged to the truck. He got inside and drove it down the driveway, so Lois wouldn't be suspicious. At the end of the driveway he parked it to the side of the road, hopped out, and dashed to those in need.

~/~

"Sometimes he acts so strange." Lois commented.

"Yeah, but that's Clark."

"True….So, what now?"

"Uh, I don't know. Movie?" Callie suggested.

"Sure."

Lois and Callie maneuvered over to the couch. Shelby appeared from around the corner and plopped down right beside them. Lois picked up the remote and turned the television on. She scoured through the channels until she stopped and leaned back into her seat.

Callie recognized the movie immediately. They caught it right at the beginning of the fight scene with the swords, between the Man in Black and Inigo Montoya. Fencing over sand and dirt they fought valiantly, until the Man in Black won and went off in search of the princess. Callie looked on fondly, but sadness became the dark horse and won instead.

"I watched this with my Mom when I was little." She whispered as she gently leaned into Lois, feeling the child in her come alive.

She could still remember crawling into her mother's bed at the time of her father's… ' _We'll just call it a vacation.'_ She told herself. The words of Wesley rang in her ears, " _Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while."_ She remembered asking her mother if it was true. Her mother had said "yes" and her naïve reply was that " _Then that means Daddy will come home."_

At that time, they had just been words from a child still clinging to hope. Now, they were words she would never let go of. They had come true, and no one was going to tell her differently.

Her mind had been so focused on her memories that the movie had moved ahead further. Wesley had retrieved Buttercup and they were now arguing on top of a tremendous hill, but she didn't know it was Wesley, no, not until he uttered the words, " _As you wish"_ as he tumbled down the hill. Buttercup tumbled down after him, realizing her mistake, and after a brief cut to the scene with the Prince, the movie cut back to Wesley as he crawled over to Buttercup making sure she could move.

" _Move? You're alive. If you want I can fly."_ Buttercup replied.

They hugged and Wesley pulled away saying, " _I told you I would always come for you. Why didn't you wait for me?"_

" _Well, you were dead."_

Then he said them. The words. " _Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while."_

"I love that line." Lois breathed out.

"My mom does, too."

" _I will never doubt again."_ Buttercup replied

" _There will never be a need."_ He said and then they kissed.

It was still hard to think about those times but the silver lining was the words had rung true. Her father had been delayed for a little while, but he had come home. He had come back to her, her unborn brother, and back to her mother, his true love. She never really knew what their reunion had been like, but she always envisioned it had gone something like that scene.

"Do you not want to watch this?" Lois asked, looking at her with concern.

"No, I'm okay."

"You sure?"

"Mmhmmm." She nodded and leaned further into Lois, her head resting on her and the back of the couch. She closed her eyes and told herself, ' _You can pretend, just for a little while.'_

*/*

After a while, Clark had still not returned and Callie and Lois scrunched under a blanket together. A few juice boxes lay empty on the coffee table alongside a bowl that had once held popcorn but now only held the remaining unpopped kernels.

"I really love that line." Lois said. "I want to get a ' _Hello my name is_ ' sticker and just write that entire line on there."

Callie chuckled, "I dare you to wear it around work."

"Seriously? You're going to dare that? That's nothing, I'd proudly do it out of my own free will."

"Silly me."

After a few more scenes Wesley and Buttercup rode off into the sunset and kissed. The grandfather closed the book he had been reading his grandson, and as the grandson asked him to come back the next day and read it, the grandfather replied " _As you wish"_ which the movie taught meant " _I love you."._ As the credits rolled by silence filled the air.

"So…" Lois began.

"So…" Callie repeated.

"You want to talk or something?"

"Uh, sure, I guess." Callie shrugged.

"Okay, well, tell me something about back home. Leave behind any boyfriends? Best friends?"

Callie smiled when she said ' _best friends'_.

' _What could it hurt to talk about your best friend? She hasn't even met her dad yet.'_ Callie thought.

"My best friend, her name is Helena."

"How long have you been friends?"

"Since we were around seven. The day I met her, I knew we were going to be friends for life."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup." Callie nodded. "We have so much fun together. I remember when we were like ten, we found this prank book and I think we did everything out of it."

"Uh oh." She said, smirking.

" _The Terrible Twosome_ , that's what my Dad dubbed us. We did everything from the whoopee cushion prank, to the pail of water over the door, which I got my Dad with, to switching the sugar with the salt, and then…the best one… _oh, the best one_ …" Callie started to laugh, "Helena decided to do the _super glue on the toilet seat_ prank. Now, I knew that I could never get away with it, but Helena was determined and" she chuckled again, "and she managed it. I don't know how but she did and if you knew her dad…" Callie trailed off and burst into laughter, "he still hasn't lived it down."

Lois then started to laugh, "I feel bad for the guy, but that's hilarious."

' _Oh, if you only knew…'_

"My parents thought so too, especially my dad. Not that he would condone something like that, but I know he found it hysterical."

Once the laughter died down, Lois asked, "So, how is everything going here?"

"I'm getting used to it."

"But you still miss home."

"Yeah," she breathed out.

"Come here." Lois said as she placed a throw pillow on her lap.

"Huh?"

"I used to do this with my sister. Put your head here." She said, patting the pillow on her lap.

Callie obeyed and laid her head in the designated place.

"So, you told me about your best friend. What else about your home?" Lois asked as she stroked Callie's head lightly.

Callie closed her eyes and revelled in the feeling. "Home seems like a million miles away sometimes."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, but the more I stay here the more it feels like the home I left behind."

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"Not sure. I want it to be a good thing but…"

"You don't want to forget about everyone else." Lois finished for her.

"Exactly." She breathed out. It felt like a layer of relief fell away from her. She could talk to her, her mother who wasn't yet her mother, and without going in depth to everything it was like she understood completely.

"I never really had a home. We moved around a lot, the General, my sister Lucy, and I. It wasn't until I came here that I got a sense of what home felt like. I can understand if it's growing on you, too, even if Mr. and Mrs. Kent aren't still around."

' _Oh, but they are…just in a different form.'_

Callie nodded and felt her body relax even more. Not only was her body relaxing but so was her mind. She welcomed it after having been through so much recently.

"Can I tell you something? Like a secret?" Callie asked.

"Sure, if you want."

She wanted to tell her everything—about who she was, how she got there, how much the current moment meant to her, but she couldn't. If she ousted her secret she would be outing Clark, too, and she couldn't do that to him. Instead, she would out something else, something just as intimate.

"I'm always pretending that I'm so tough, but—I don't know. I _used to_ think I was real tough, but lately I think that maybe I'm not tough at all. I've always struggled to prove that I can do things, that I can do it myself. A few days ago, though, I almost gave up in a way, until someone reminded me to keep fighting. But—I just—what if I'm not strong enough?"

"Strong enough for what?" Lois asked, her voice sounding puzzled.

"To fight whatever is coming next. I feel like I've been put through all these tests lately—what if the next one comes and I'm not strong enough to fight it? That the whole tough thing really was a façade and I'm not tough at all?"

"Look at me."

Callie followed her request and turned to look up at her.

"You want to know a secret?" She asked.

"Sure, if you want." Callie said, repeating the same words that she had heard earlier.

"Sometimes, deep down, I wonder how tough I am, too. I feel like I carry a heavy load around with me and I'm waiting for the one thing—that saying, what is it? The straw that broke the camel's back? But until then I go on. It doesn't matter how I feel inside, whether I think I'm tough that day or not. I go on, take one day at a time."

"I've seen you, you're beyond tough, you don't have to worry."

"Maybe, but sometimes I feel just like you do." She said. "Sometimes I feel alone in the carrying."

"You have people around you to help carry the load." Lois' eyes narrowed and Callie supplied, "Clark. You have Clark." She saw Lois' face then she quickly added, "Plus, Chloe and then there's Oliver…I uh, met him at the hospital when you were there, before I left."

"You're right, I do. And you have Clark, too. And you have me. So, you're not alone either."

"Yeah?"

"Of course, and I want you to know that even though I haven't known you for years and years, I know enough to know that you're probably one of the toughest people out there. You might feel down today, but I believe that if you were ever faced with anything, you would be strong enough to defeat it."

"You think?" Callie asked, the confidence slowly returning.

"I know."

Callie smiled and before she could stop herself and pulled her body up and wrapped Lois in a hug. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, but I'm sure you'd probably get better advice at home. You probably miss your own mother for that sort of thing."

Callie pulled back and looked Lois in the eye. "Sometimes I feel like she's right here with me." She watched as Lois' eyes changed, as did her facial expressions. "Whoa kind of lost myself in there for a second."

She then moved away from Lois and settled in the seat that she occupied earlier. She changed the subject and pouted, "Now where's Clark with my cookies?"


	22. Chapter Twenty-One: Two Is Better Than One

**Chapter Twenty-One: Two Is Better Than One**

After responding to one call for help, another call came, then two calls turned to three, three turned to four, and after the tenth call Clark stopped taking count. It seemed never ending and after each save he wished nothing more than to be home with Callie and Lois, his family.

' _Whoa. Let's not get ahead of yourself there.'_

Standing on top of one of the highest buildings in Metropolis he listened once more and all seemed quiet…for now. It was late in the day, the sun beginning its descent on the horizon. He had been gone for a while and he was going to have to come up with a pretty good excuse in order to get out of this one.

Speeding back to Smallville he opened up the front door quietly and walked softly into the living room. He placed down the bag he was carrying, the cookies that Callie had asked for, and maneuvered around the couch, the television still on. He was surprised to find that Callie was asleep, leaning against Lois who was also asleep, Shelby leaning against Callie. Clark couldn't help but grin at the sight. Brushing a stray hair out of Callie's face he lifted the blanket, which had slipped to the floor, over her shoulders.

Picking up the remote from Callie's grasp, he was turning off the TV when he heard her softly say, "The movie isn't over yet."

"I'll tell you how it ends."

"Thanks, Daddy." She whispered.

His breath caught in his throat as he heard her say those words. He knew that she did it unconsciously, but hearing her say it, knowing what he knew, he wished that he could hear her say it all the time.

' _One day._ ' He thought.

He moved past the both of them then heard, "Smallville?"

He turned back to see Lois waking up.

"Hey." He said.

"Did you go to China for those cookies or something?"

"No—I—uh—There was this person, in trouble—on the side of the road. I stopped to help him; it took a lot longer than I anticipated."

Lois chuckled, "Always the boy scout."

She gingerly moved out of her position and laid Callie down on the couch, placing the couch pillow under her head.

"I can't believe that I fell asleep. Her, yes, jet-lag and all, but me? I've been getting crappy sleep as it is."

"Are you okay?" he asked, trying to mask the amount of alarm he was feeling.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just every time I spend the night in the hospital I always get horrible sleep and for some consecutive nights after that. I mean last night was the first night that I—." but she caught herself before she could finish.

"Last night was the first night that, what?" He asked. He couldn't help but toy with her a little bit.

"Nothing." She shrugged and smiled, trying to obviously gloss over it.

"Right." He nodded.

"And stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like, we almost—like we almost," she looked around and then whispered, "kissed."

Clark smiled and moved closer to her. "We did get interrupted before that could happen."

She moved an inch closer to him and confirmed, "Yeah, we did."

His eyes trailed from her eyes down to her lips and he saw her eyes do the same, the same actions repeating from the night before. They moved a bit closer to each other, a magnetic force drawing them together. With a mere inch apart he could feel her lips softly brush his. As he moved to close the gap, Shelby suddenly jumped off the couch, hitting the bowl with popcorn kernels in it, and it noisily fell on the floor.

"Damn dog." They both whispered at the same time.

Their eyes met again and they smiled at each other.

"I guess the universe is trying to tell us something, Smallville." Lois said as she moved past him and went for her bags and searched the countertop for her keys.

"And what's that?" He questioned, wondering where she was going with this.

"Between you and me, it's always a swing and a miss."

He furrowed his brows at that analogy and watched as she finally found her keys and walked toward the door.

"See you at work, Smallville." She said and then walked out the door without looking back.

Closing his eyes he silently berated himself for not saying anything else and just letting her leave.

"I suck." He said.

Turning around he wandered over to the chair in the corner and watched Callie sleep. He didn't know how long he had sat there but by the time he tore his eyes away from her and looked out the window the sky was pitch black and a multitude of stars sparkled in the sky. Pushing himself out of the chair, he coached himself to be satisfied enough to think that she was alright and he forced himself upstairs.

*/*

For two days Clark skipped out of work. Instead he stayed around the house, keeping a close eye on Callie. They hung out, did the chores together, and went into town to do some errands. He found that he couldn't lose sight of her. The minute she was out of view his heart would race and he would go into a slight panic. He was getting better at trying to compose himself but the thought of losing her, of her disappearing again, made him crazy. From some of the looks she gave him, he was wondering if it was making her crazy, too.

When he wasn't worried, they actually were having a great time together. Callie was eager to do things with him, which included beating him in a basketball game and trying to make macaroni and cheese, in which she somehow managed to start a small kitchen fire. Speaking of food, she seemed to be eating more and more, and asking him to get her things. Not that he minded that, he knew he would give her the world if she asked, but it still made him curious. As time went on she had asked about Lois and why he wasn't at work, but he casually avoided both subjects.

It was the morning of day three and he was ready for the same routine to start again. He would take as many days off he could in order to have peace of mind on Callie.

In a T-shirt and jeans he jogged down the stairs and was met with an already awake Callie who was munching on cereal and sitting at the island in the kitchen.

"Morning." He said.

"Morning."

Grabbing a mug from the shelf he began to pour himself a cup of coffee. "So, what do you want to do today?"

Dropping her spoon in the bowl, she said, "We need to talk."

Putting down his cup looked up at her earnestly. "What is it?"

She hopped off the stool and walked over to him, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You need to go to work."

"What?"

"Clark. You haven't been at work, since…since the whole Zod thing, right?"

"Yeah, _well_ …"

"No, you're going. So superspeed up there and get ready, mister."

"But Callie…"

"Nuh, uh. No buts, you have to go to work. Bring home that bacon." She stopped then looked down at the bowl of cereal she had left on the counter. "Huh, bacon sounds real good about now."

"Then I'll take you out for bacon." He said temptingly.

"Oh, don't try that one. I always try that one and it never works, so it's not going to work for you. Now get up there and get ready. Clock is ticking."

"You really don't want to go out for a nice, big breakfast? Bacon, eggs, _pancakes_?"

Her eyes widened. "You're pulling the pancake card?"

He shrugged. He had to try it at least.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Maybe I want to spend more time with you. You were gone for a while."

"I know." She said shifting her feet, "but this is something more. Is it about Lois?"

He laughed nervously and picked his cup back up. "Why would this be about, Lois?" He asked before taking a sip.

"The words, _swing and a miss_ come to mind."

He nearly spit out his drink when she said that. "You heard that?"

"Here and there." She shrugged then continued, "You can't avoid work forever or we really _will_ starve."

"I'm not avoiding work." He stated firmly. "And you would never starve."

"Good, then put on a nice shirt and tie and go." She smiled.

"Trying to get rid of me?"

"I'm only looking out for you."

He nodded and took another sip of coffee.

"Look, what do you want?" She said.

"Excuse me?"

"You have to ask yourself, what you want…and then, just go get it."

He stood there for a few seconds and processed what she had just said to him. She tapped him on the shoulder which broke him out of his thoughts and pointed up the stairs. Putting his coffee down, in a flash he was back in the same position, only now he had on his dark blue dress shirt and red striped tie.

His tie was a little crooked but before he could do anything about it Callie straightened it out for him.

"Perfect. Have a good day." She smiled.

"Are you sure that—."

"Yes." She said pointedly.

With a deep breath, he relented. "Okay, I'll be back later."

And with that he picked up his work bag from the living room.

As he headed for the door he turned back and said, "But if you need anything—."

"Clark!"

"Okay, I'm going."

"Be careful!" He heard her call out as he finally sped out of the house and off to work.

~/~

Callie flipped through the channels, bored out of her mind. A part of her wanted to go to Metropolis and see what her parents were doing at work, or what Chloe, or even Oliver were up to. She _could_ do that, but she was reluctant as well. Clark was already keeping tabs on her more than she wanted and to go to Metropolis would only lead to an increase in annoyance building up in her. It had taken her long enough to get him out of the house that morning, if she popped up at work, he might not ever leave again. To be honest, she needed a breather. She needed fun. She had to admit she was easing into her and him hanging out, but the attached at the hip thing was getting to her. In the future she hung out with her friends when she was spending too much time with the parentals. Here, she had no one.

' _At least no one that is free to come out and play right now.'_

Picking up the remote she turned the channel again and landed on a movie. She had been watching a lot of movies lately, but it would have to do. Sinking back into the couch she sighed and turned her full attention to it. She recognized the movie. It was one of the various 80s films that she sat through with her mother. A smile spread across her face. She had seen _many_ 80s movies courtesy of her mother. The _Breakfast Club_ was one of her favorites and of course _Die Hard_. She let out a chuckle thinking of _Die Hard_.

"Best Christmas movie I ever saw." She muttered.

Her eyes then gravitated back to the screen of the television where a familiar scene played out.

' _That actually looks like fun.'_ She thought.

She cocked her head to the side and studied the movements of the character and laughed. Once the scene was done she got up from her seat and spotted Clark's laptop on the island in the kitchen. Opening the lid she accustomed herself to it, a piece of technology still relatively old to her.

"Now what was that site everybody went on during this time?"

Using the mouse she guided it up to the favorites folder and spotted a bookmark.

"That's it."

She clicked on it and typed in a search for the song that was playing during the scene. Finding it she smiled and clicked the first of the search results. Hitting the pause button, she wanted to wait for the song to finish loading before playing it. Lifting the laptop up, she placed it over the coffee table. She then pulled out one of the Guitar Hero guitars and left it on the landing as she hopped up the stairs.

Once she reached the top, she walked to Clark's door. Opening it quietly, she slowly crept into the room and to the closet. She wasn't afraid she was going to get caught or anything, but rummaging through her parents' closet at one time or another in her future time had led to some awkward traumatizing moments for her. Shaking her head of the thoughts that were looming she closed her eyes and opened the closet door.

Lifting up one eyelid slowly, she peeked in and found the white dress shirt she was looking for. Pulling it off the hanger quickly she shut the door before she could see anything else. She then moved to the drawers and opened the top one, fishing out a pair of socks. After that she hunted for a pair of sunglasses.

Finding all the items on her mental checklist and changing quickly, she hopped back down the stairs, grabbing the guitar and pulling the strap over her shoulder. She tested her socks on the hardwood floor and was pleased with the slickness. Walking over to the laptop she pressed play, placing the laptop on the floor and sped to her designated spot down the hallway. As the beginning notes to Bob Seger's _Old Time Rock and Roll_ started to play she slid down the hallway towards the front door. Stopping once she hit the middle of the entrance way she turned and started to mimic the dance moves she had seen only moments before. She moved around the living room, jumping onto the coffee table and pretending to play the guitar strapped to her.

Jumping off the coffee table, she fell back onto the couch and kicked her feet into the air. Rolling off she laughed and felt Shelby brush against her.

"I bet you think I'm crazy, huh?" She said petting him. "No, worries. I'm just alleviating stress in a very weird way."

Glancing at the entrance way she smiled and decided she wanted to do it again. Reaching her spot, the music still playing in the background, she decided to use a bit of superspeed this time around and slid sideways down the hallway with force. Suddenly, the door opened, startling her, and she lost her footing, sliding across the floor on her chest. When she looked up she saw blue jeans, a red top, curious blue eyes, and long blonde hair staring down at her.

' _Aunt Kara.'_ She thought.

"Hi," she said sheepishly from the ground, providing a little wave.

"Don't I know you?" She asked.

Callie smiled up at her and pushed herself off of the floor.

"Yeah, I'm Callie. We met like a week ago."

Her eyes widened. "Right…but I thought you were—I mean Clark didn't—" she stumbled.

"No." Callie answered quickly, knowing what she meant. "I made it out on my own."

"On your own?"

' _Nice one, Callie.'_

"Well, _not on my own_ on my own. I put my hand on the 'S' thingy and _poof_ , I was back."

Kara nodded, seeming to believe her story. "I'm sure that Clark was happy to see that you're home."

"Yeah, so much so that I actually had to push him out the door this morning. Kind of needed the breathing room."

Kara nodded, "Yeah, I know how that is. Clark can get _pretty_ overprotective."

Callie rolled her eyes, "Tell me about it,"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Kara tilted her head at Callie. "So, what is it that you're doing?"

Callie looked down at herself a bit embarrassed. She was dressed in white socks, a pair of shorts and a large white dress shirt hung off of her. She must have looked very odd.

' _Callie, you got some 'splainin to do.'_

"Well, I was watching this movie and it looked kind of fun," she shrugged.

Kara raised an eyebrow and seemed to scan Callie and then the hallway behind her.

*/*

Callie laughed out loud as she and Kara slid across the floor arm and arm, in matching outfits no less. They managed to trip over each other as they slipped on the floor. Kara rolled over and pushed herself up, Callie did the same, their laughter masked by the music blasting through the house.

"You were right…this is fun." Kara giggled.

"Yeah, I think this is more fun when you do it with someone else than just by yourself." Callie said standing up.

"Yeah, seems like you've been by yourself since you got here, huh?"

"Sort of, when Clark is at work anyway. And with the way he's been watching me like a hawk, I needed a break."

Serious, she asked, "Are you like us? Like Clark and I?"

Callie looked down then back at Kara.

"I have abilities if that's what you mean. Similar ones to you guys."

"But are you—?"

"No." Callie said quickly, cutting her off.

Kara's eyes widened and Callie finished, "I was asked that already. I just have abilities, I'm human."

Kara nodded and moved into the living room, turning the music down on the laptop. Then she supersped out of the room and came back in the clothes she had arrived in.

"I can see why Clark was so upset when you were stuck in the Zone."

"And why is that?" Callie asked, curious.

"You remind him of Lois."

Callie was taken aback. "Why would you say that?" She laughed, a bit nervously.

"When Clark found me and I had to adjust to life on Earth, Lois befriended me. She joked with me and did crazy things that turned out to be fun. I see that in you. Clark must see it, too. That's why he was so affected. Chloe filled me in on what had happened when Lois was missing. I could see him on the start of that path again. I'm grateful for your return."

Callie shook her head and said, "He would have been okay. He would have had the real thing to comfort him."

Kara nodded, "Maybe."

She then turned to leave and Callie blurted out, "Where are you going?"

"There's only so much sliding across a floor a girl can do in a day."

Callie sped out of the room and changed back into her clothes, then headed back to her original spot.

"So, then let's do something else." She walked to the kitchen door and opened it. The sky was a clear blue and the sun was shining intensely in the sky. "Like I said, it's more fun hanging out with someone else." She smiled at the words her mother had spoken to her once already on the tip of her lips, "Two is better than one."

"What did you have in mind?"

Callie looked beyond the farm and up to the sky.

"How about a race?" She said lifting up an eyebrow.

"Let's see what you got." Kara challenged.

Kara made a fist with her right hand and raised it, then shot up into the sky.

"Hey!" Callie called out. "Wait up!"

Callie followed Kara's actions and then chased her through the sky.

~/~

Lois typed away at her computer, doing anything she could to keep herself occupied. She had missed Clark the days he had been off from work, she couldn't lie about that, but the other thing she couldn't lie about was how much easier it was to do her work when he wasn't there. When he was around she would pull off her stolen glances, wonder what he was thinking, and then get sucked into that damn attraction she had to him.

She had been surprised to see him that morning but he had explained that he couldn't stay away too long and that Callie had practically pushed him out. That morning he had gone to call Callie about five times and every time he did she stopped him. Hours later she finally focused on her work, a 60/40 balance. Sixty percent focused on work, forty percent still thinking about Clark and Callie.

' _The girl needs her space.'_ She thought. ' _Ugh, no Lois, back to work!'_

After finishing the last sentence of her article she sent it via e-mail to Brady. Smiling in accomplishment she looked up to find Clark staring at his phone.

"Okay, that's it." She said pushing her chair from her desk. She walked around his desk and snatched his phone away from him.

"This," she said, waving the phone, "needs to stop."

"What does?"

"You, staring at your phone. You've been doing it all day."

"Have not."

"Have too."

"Callie called me and I missed it. I called the house but there was no answer. I was waiting for her to call again…it could be important."

She knew she told him to step up and take responsibility for his cousin, but even she could see why Callie had pushed him to work. Lois wanted to smack some sense into him, but she figured advice would have to do.

' _I don't remember him being this bad about Kara.'_ She thought.

"Smallville, you need to relax. I'm sure it wasn't that important."

"She's been through a lot; I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Clark, she's fine."

"I want to think that, but she's acting differently lately." He said leaning back in his chair.

"Like how?"

"The past couple days she was asking me to get her anything and everything, especially food. I mean my mom used to talk about me, but…she's so tiny and eats so much. Plus, she wanted to do more things with me and today—nothing." Clark pushed his chair back and turned to the coffee maker. "I don't know what's gotten into her," he said, grabbing himself coffee.

"Seriously, Smallville?" Lois said, rolling her eyes.

"What?" He asked, turning to face her.

Lois walked closer to him and stared straight into his eyes.

"Clark, you said she wants to do more, right?"

He nodded.

"And she's eating you out of house and home?"

He nodded again.

"Plan and simple, Smallville, she's more comfortable. She's feeling more at home. There's nothing wrong with her. Today, she wants to rest, have a change of pace, and she knows you need to work... _which_ she would be right about."

"You think so? I mean, about her being more comfortable?" he grinned.

"Let's say a little birdy told me so."

"So, you and Callie…" he began. "She seems really fond of you."

Lois smiled. "Well, I'm really fond of her, too."

"She wanted me to remind you about the festival."

"I'm not really sure…"

"I know that she'd" He stopped and corrected, "— _we'd_ really like you to come."

She smiled brightly at him. " _We'd_?" She questioned.

"Yeah, well, I think it'll be fun, don't you?"

"Of course you think it's fun; it's a Smallville annual tradition. I'd probably just be the party pooper and mock it out."

She waited for him to rebut and urge her to go, but that didn't come. Instead his shoulders deflated a bit and he nodded and said _okay._ She felt guilty, but she ruled it was for the best. She liked spending time with Clark and Callie, she _**really**_ liked it, but that's what scared her the most. She could get used to that feeling and she didn't want to. It would only be temporary, she told herself, and she didn't want to feel left behind when Callie grew out of needing her and Clark realized he didn't need her insight anymore.

She watched as Clark finished whatever was left in his cup then went to organize his things. He put his bag over his shoulder and moved past her. He started to walk towards the exit but then he stopped and turned to face her.

"I was wondering… if maybe you wanted to grab something to eat… in the morning."

"You mean the morning ritual of eating also known as _breakfast_?"

Clark smiled shyly looking to the ground then looking back at her. "Yeah," he confirmed.

' _Is Clark Kent asking me out on a date?'_ She thought. ' _Though even if he's not, what's the harm? You love to eat and it's not like you guys haven't gone out and grabbed a bite before. Just play it cool, Lane.'_

Biting her bottom lip subtlety, she nodded, "Okay. But… we meet here first."

He smiled, "Alright, sounds like a—." but he paused before he finished his sentence.

"Date?" She suggested, fishing for information.

She could see something in his eyes change, almost as if he were weary to use that word. Then he responded, "Something like a date."

They stared at each other for a moment before his eyes broke contact and he said, "See you tomorrow."

"See you, Smallville."

She waited for him to go up the stairs and out of the building before her face broke out into the biggest smile. Maybe she wouldn't be left behind after all.

~/~

Clark couldn't stop smiling as he opened the door to the house. He had managed to take the first step as Clark Kent and he was proud of himself. He was taking Callie's advice to heart and he wanted to thank her for the extra boost of confidence he needed. He knew what he wanted, all he needed to do was go and get it.

Walking into the house he heard laughter erupt from the living room and watched Callie and Kara interact with each other, Callie sprawled out on the couch and Kara on the floor.

"I told you, if we had just sped past security we could have just gone backstage." Kara said.

"I know, but getting to see the rest of his concert was amazing!" Callie gushed.

"What concert?" He asked.

Callie suddenly sat up and looked at him, "Oh, hey."

"Hey Kal-El, you missed a lot of fun today."

"I bet." He said firmly.

Kara looked to Callie then to him. "Am I missing something?"

"Kara, can I talk to Callie alone?"

She nodded and headed towards the stairs, going up to the second level.

"What concert?" He asked again.

"Well, Kara and I hung out today. We went to a few places including a concert. I called you at work, but you didn't pick up and I even came back and left you a note," she went back and held up the pad on the island, "see?"

He didn't say anything but tried to process what she was saying.

' _She left with Kara, was gone, to who knows where, for hours…great parenting, Clark.'_

"You're angry, huh?"

"Angry, no. Disappointed, yes."

"Okay, disappointed is worse than angry." She mumbled, not making eye contact with him.

"I thought we talked about this. I thought that you would tell me if you were going somewhere so I don't start to panic when I find you gone."

"I'm sorry. It was spur of the moment. But, I did try to get in touch with you, like I said and I was here when you got home. It wasn't like you walked into an empty house."

"I get that, but the point is that you didn't get in touch with me. Just because you're here, in this time, doesn't mean you have a free for all. I'm responsible for you, whether you like it or not."

She slowly moved her eyes up to meet his.

"I know that. I just— I know that the whole Phantom Zone thing is still a fresh wound for you, but I just—I just wanted to go out and have fun and not feel like I'm being watched."

"Being watched?"

"You've been keeping a close eye on me lately. It started to feel claustrophobic. So, on the spur of the moment I went out with Kara. It was nice." She huffed, "Besides, when your superhearing perks up it's not like you're telling me where you're going or for how long."

Clark internally kicked himself. He was coming on too strong with her and as a result he was pushing her away. He then moved from the island he headed toward the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"Upstairs. I've had a long day. I'll see you in the morning."

He walked up the stairs leaving her at the bottom, saddened and confused.

~/~

Callie sat on the couch in the dark. She hadn't slept the entire night, her mind wouldn't let her. She was exhausted and felt like crap, but she told herself that she deserved it. Her stomach turned with guilt for being so selfish and just hanging out with Kara. He was right; it didn't matter if she had hired one of the planes with the messages on the tail to fly past the Daily Planet. If he didn't know about it, it didn't matter, she shouldn't have gone. And, she shouldn't have thrown his duties up in his face, either.

Getting up she moved into the kitchen, thinking that maybe she needed something to drink, or even to eat but everything she looked at made her sick. She glanced at the stairs and followed each one up to the very top. The cure to her illness laid up there. She hadn't gotten to apologize to him correctly, that's what was bothering her. When she said she was feeling claustrophobic she didn't mean for him to take it the way he did, but he obviously took it badly.

"The things that I've said, the things I've done. If they remember any of this in the future I'm so getting grounded."

Suddenly, she heard the door upstairs click and someone walk across the floor. She crept quietly and inched her head around the stairs and saw that it was Kara going back to her room. She let out a defeated breath.

Walking over to the kitchen door she looked outside. There were a lot of things to do on the farm. Maybe if she did all the chores before he woke up, she could give it as a peace offering. Opening the door she could see the sun starting to peek over the horizon. Gearing up in superspeed she set off the work.

~/~

Clark moved down the stairs. Kara had already dashed off the Watchtower to help Chloe with some things, so now he had the chance to talk to Callie alone. Maybe he was pushing too hard. She did try to contact him so it was possible that he had reacted too quickly, too much out of fear of something happening to her. Maybe he was taking his title to the extreme, the title he didn't even truly have yet.

Walking down the steps he saw that Callie was in the kitchen. As she moved to the sink to the island, she gripped the table top as if she felt a little dizzy.

"Whoa." She whispered.

"You okay?" He asked.

She looked up and saw him coming down the stairs, a very concerned look on his face.

"Yeah, I felt a little woozy, that's all."

He came closer to her and saw that she had mud all over her clothes.

"What happened to you?"

"I did the chores."

"All of them?"

She nodded.

"Why?"

"I felt bad."

"You felt bad?"

Letting out a grunted breath, "You don't get it," she said and started to pace. "I can't take it that you're disappointed in me, okay? I hate it."

"Look, Callie…"

"Let me get this out. I do stupid things, okay? I thought at first that if I called you and left you a note that it would be okay, but I was still wrong, and I'm sorry. I just—I just really hate it when someone is disappointed in me, especially when I know it's my fault. My stomach gets all twisted in knots, I can't sleep, _it's not pretty_." She rambled.

"Callie—."

"No, just let me finish. You're not wrong for watching over me. I know that what happened with the Phantom Zone was hard for you. And I know when you go off to help people that you can't always call and give the play by play. I was wrong, big time. So, if you want to punish me, or whatever, you can do that."

"I'm not going to do that."

"Fine, you want me to lie down and fry like bacon? Cause I'll do that, too."

Clark let out a brief laugh, "What?"

"You never did that? Third grade to get back on someone's good side?"

"No, and you don't have to do _that_ either."

"Why not?" She asked, confused.

"Because you were right. I've been watching over you too much. It's my fault."

"No, I was wrong." She insisted. "When I first got here I had a little bit of freedom and I liked it, a lot. The feeling of having someone watching over me like I'm fragile, it gets annoying, but you have to know that it's not about you."

"Not about me?"

"Even in my own time, my mom and my dad, they watch over me all the time and I get annoyed. So, I didn't just single you out and I don't want you to feel like you're wrong, because you're not. I am. I'm grateful that you care enough to look after me. You're just doing what any normal… _guardian_ would do."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "You should be happy I got annoyed at you. It just means that you're doing a good job at it."

"Thank you."

She smiled more brightly and said, "By the way, have I mentioned how good your hair looks today?"

"Callie." He warned.

"No, really. I mean you don't even have the whole bed-head thing. It's amazing. And the _hair_ to _poof_ ratio is incredible. How do you get all poofy like that? Is it product or is it some sort of Kryptonian hair poofing gene?"

" _Callie_ …"

"What? It's only a compliment." She said innocently.

He started to laugh and shake his head and he could feel all the anxiety melt away. He looked back at her and saw that she had a strange look on her face. She leaned her head back and cupped her hand around her mouth. Then he heard it…she sneezed.

He was taken aback when he heard it. The only time he had ever sneezed had been after Zod, the previous one, had wreaked havoc on Dark Thursday years before and he had been constantly out in Metropolis on clean-up duty. He had worn himself down so much that he had gotten sick.

' _Is Callie sick? What do I do?'_

"Maybe you should go rest." He said.

She looked at him confused. "Why? It was only a sneeze. It's normal."

"You've sneezed before?"

"Yeah. I can get sick just like everyone else. Maybe not as _frequently_ , but it has been known to happen."

"Still, you were out yesterday, going who knows where, maybe you caught something. I think you should lie down."

He watched as Callie stared off into space, looking like she was thinking about something.

"You know, it was probably when we flew over Alaska then flew to Hawaii. Mixing climates is never good." She said, shaking her head. The motion of the shaking must have stirred something up in her because she started to sneeze again, this time thrice in a row.

"Callie…" he began.

"Look, don't start the _worry wart_ thing. I just have to make this special stuff my mom makes for the _sniffles_." She said walking over to the sink and going through the spice rack. "You have any cayan pepper?"

' _Sniffles? Cayan pepper? That sounds familiar.'_ He thought.

He put those thoughts on hold when she sneezed again.

"Okay, that's it." He said walking up behind her. Grabbing her, he gently walked her over to the couch and sat her down.

"You are going to stay here and rest. I don't want this to get worse."

"Relax, I'm just sneezing. I'm not going to catch my death or anything."

"Don't even joke about that."

She rolled her eyes. "These are just the sniffles. Look, I'm not going anywhere. I can't yet. You want to know why?"

Giving in he asked, "Why?"

"Because, I refuse to go until I learn the German lyrics to 99 Luft balloons by Nena. It's on the bucket list. _And_ since I haven't mastered that, I'm staying put."

Clark held back his laughter and managed to get serious again. "While that's… _comforting_ … you're still staying here, on the couch, and I'm going to make sure of it."

"You're not going to pull the same thing you did yesterday, are you? Cause, at this rate, I'll huff and puff and sneeze you out of the house if I have to."

By the look on her face he could tell that she was serious. He knew she was eighteen and capable of taking care of herself, but the overprotective father in him was rearing its head. In his eyes she was his _daughter_ and that changed everything for him.

' _But you need to get a grip. Give her what she needs and she'll be okay.'_

Speeding out of his spot, he raced through the house gathering all the materials he thought she might need. Tissues, extra blankets, and a decongestant he found in the medicine cabinet, and then he raced into the kitchen and made her a breakfast of hot tea and toast courtesy of his heat vision.

Stopping he laid all the things in front of her.

"Impressive." She said smiling. "Even though I think you're going a _tad_ overboard I'm touched. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Callie lounged back on the couch and brought the tea to her lips.

"Hmm, something's missing." She whispered.

His hearing caught it and it clicked in his head what that _something_ might be. Speeding into the kitchen and back, with the item in hand, he waved it in front of her.

"I forgot to put this in there."

Her eyes snapped up and widened a bit. Then she smiled and took the honey and put just a little in her tea.

"Perfect." She placed it on the coffee table and looked up at him, "but how did you know?"

"That's how my mom makes it."

He saw something in her eyes as she cocked her head a little to the side and looked at him. She sipped her tea again then placed that too on the coffee table.

"You know, you better get ready or you'll be late for work."

Checking his watch he could see that she was right. If he changed in superspeed and then sped to Metropolis he should have more than enough time.

As he was about to get started Callie then stated, "But if you're going to be so worried about my health I'm going to worry about yours, too. Half the time you go to work, to _both_ jobs, and forget to eat, so make sure you pick something up for breakfast before you blur out of here and get on with your day. No one likes a lethargic hero and breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

' _Breakfast?'_ he thought. His eyes then lit up when he thought of the night before. "Lois." He breathed out quietly.

"What about her?" Callie asked.

"I'm supposed to meet Lois for breakfast."

"Breakfast with Lois?"

"Yeah, well, I took the first step as Clark Kent. I asked her out…well sort of. This is our _like a date._ "

"Having the Blur eat your dust, huh?" She laughed.

"Trying to."

Callie smiled then quickly grabbed a tissue as she sneezed into it.

"Though, maybe I should stay."

"No, I've had the sniffles before. I'm fine. It'll clear up before you know it. Go, eat, have a good time. I'll just stay here, lie on the couch and catch up on 'who is and who _is not_ the father' on reality tv."

Grabbing the remote from the table Callie turned it on. The station cut into its program in order to broadcast breaking news.

" _Good morning. I'm Justine Taylor. We have breaking news in Metropolis as police barricade a factory in the business district. Earlier reports claim that a masked assailant broke into the factory and has taken hostages. Elina Cosgrove is down at the scene."_

They both stared at the screen until Callie looked at him and said, "You better go."

He nodded reluctantly and looked from the T.V. to the door. Breakfast with Lois would have to be put on hold for the moment.

~/~

Lois waited at her desk and kept checking her watch. She tapped her foot incessantly and drummed her fingers on her desk. She was stupid. She had gotten up this morning all giddy and trying to figure out what outfit to wear. She hated that Clark made her feel that way and hated herself even more for getting sucked in and believing he would be on time.

"Typical, Smallville."

Giving up she turned to look at the donut box and saw that the last maple donut was being eaten by the intern.

"Stupid Jeff." She mumbled.

' _No, Lois. Stupid you. You have, like, two dozen maple donuts at home, but no, you gave up the heavenly taste of maple donuts for a stupid date, no something like a_ _ **date,**_ _with_ _ **stupid**_ _Smallville!'_

"Lane!" Brady barked as he poked his head out from the doors near the copier. "Hostage situation. Where's Kent?"

"Who knows. If he knows what's good for him he'll stay wherever he is and hide." She mumbled. "No idea." She said louder to Brady.

"Well, then Lane, get down there and get the story. Business district. Possible bomb in the building."

"I'm on it." She said, grabbing her things.

"Oh, and Lane?"

"Yeah?" She said turning to him.

"Don't get hurt, or worse killed. The premiums on the insurance are high enough."

"Sorry, Brady, but if you want the story, you'll have to deal."

Clutching her pad in her right hand she slung the bag over her left shoulder and jetted out of the bull pen.

*/*

By the time Lois got down to the factory, the cops had revealed to her that the hostages had been saved; the Blur had just been there. He was able to disarm the assailant and rounded the hostages together outside the factory before anyone had a clue as to what happened.

Lois was in awe of how incredible the Blur was. How he was able to save all those people so quickly and stop a madman. Climbing out of her haze she walked between the crowd of firefighters, EMTS, and cops and spotted Clark coming out of a phone booth against the building.

"Great." She said to herself.

' _Suck it up, Lane. Be professional. Get the story.'_

Soon he spotted her standing there and quickly went over to her.

"Lois, I'm—."

"So, how did you get here so fast?" She said cutting him off.

"Huh?"

"Brady told me to get here the minute the story broke, how did you get here so fast?"

"I was—I was on my way into the office when I heard the story over the radio, so I raced here to see if I could get a few quotes. I just tried to call you…"

"From a pay phone?" She questioned. Shaking her head in confusion she stated, " At least you had the good idea of coming down here."

She moved past him and pulled out her notebook again. As she circled around the fire truck she saw that two police cars were in her way as victims were being loaded into the ambulance trucks. She walked as fast as she could in her heels and placed one heel on the bumper of the car as she tried to climb over it. Losing her grip she started to slip but then felt strong arms catch her, Clark's arms. Before she knew it she had grabbed onto his shoulder to steady herself.

' _Hello, sailor.'_ She thought. ' _Wait, no, Lois. Two seconds ago you were angry at this guy. He doesn't deserve a thought like that. He deserves to get his ass kicked.'_

As he let go of her she tried to hop over the cars again, this time succeeding. Walking at a brisk pace toward the victims she heard him call out, "Lois, wait."

' _Sorry, Smallville. Waiting time is over.'_

~/~

Clark followed Lois down the hospital's hallway to the designated room they had been told to go in by the nurse. It had only been an hour before that he had blurred into the warehouse and saved the hostages. The masked assailant had been easily taken out and was now at the police station behind bars. Clark chalked that up to another win for the good guys. Many of the hostages had been taken to the hospital to be evaluated where Lois, after he arrived at the scene in civilian clothes, ushered them to go to get eyewitness account quotes.

Opening the door, he saw an older man, probably in his sixties, laid up in a hospital bed. Lois glanced at the chart and then pulled out her notebook.

"Mr. Robertson, I'm Lois Lane from the Daily Planet." She turned and gestured to Clark and dryly said, "And this is Clark Kent."

Clark inwardly groaned at the tone of her words as he walked up to the man's bed and politely asked, "Would you mind answering some questions for us, like, about what you saw?"

The older man nodded, glancing from Clark to Lois. "He came out of nowhere. I was—I was in the lounge, just taking a small break and having my coffee. I heard—I heard a woman scream. I tried to get up quickly, but of course I'm not as fast as I used to be…" he trailed off.

Clark gave him a polite smile and nodded for him to go on.

He continued, "When I got to the doorway, I saw a man in a mask. A gas mask. He opened a canister and all this smoke came out. Everyone just started coughing and screaming. I know, Rhonda, the temp that had come in to answer phones, she called for help. Then there was a _gust_ of wind. All the smoke rose up to the ceiling and disappeared."

"And what happened to the guy in the gas mask?" Lois asked.

The older man smiled, "The weirdest thing. He was tied up in the air hoses we use to get the debris out of the products we make. It was a miracle. It was that Blur everyone talks about. He saved us."

"Yeah, he is pretty amazing." Lois sighed.

Clark looked back to see Lois smiling and he felt his ego enlarge a bit, then it deflated as he reminded himself he was trying to get away from that. He turned back to the man and said, "Thank you, Mr. Robertson," extending his hand out. The older man shook it and then cupped his other hand over it.

"Clark, I'm going to head over to the next interview." She said not looking at him. He could tell she was still angry at him and every word in that tone tore at him. He watched her longingly as she wrote something down. He turned his eyes away when he saw her looking back up. "Thank you again, Mr. Robertson," she said and left.

Clark looked down at his hand and realized the older man still had a grip on it.

"Mr. Kent, would you like to know something else that happened in that warehouse?"

Clark looked to the door and saw that Lois wasn't near. She was the one transcribing the information, but he figured if this was anything worthwhile he would be able to remember everything the older gentleman would say.

"Sure."

"My life flashed before my eyes. I saw and remembered things I hadn't thought of or tried not to think of in years. The mistakes that I made. The people that I let go. It's moments like that; they make you reevaluate your life. The way you looked at Miss. Lane, I looked at a girl like that once. She was a spitfire, that she was. Mindy Rose was her name." He said, his face looking nostalgic.

Clark didn't know where he was going with this but he knew, from the manners instilled in him by his parents, he didn't want to be rude and just leave. So, he stayed, his hand still being gripped tightly, and lent his ear to the old man.

"I saw her face flash before my eyes. She was beautiful. The only woman who ever understood a sorry guy like me. Took me a long time to realize that though. I was young and stupid at the time. Then I lost her. Car accident. After that—." He took a deep breath, "well after that other things didn't seem to matter as much. So, I worked non-stop in that very factory. Thirty years in that factory, in a job that I drowned myself in to take away the pain." His eyes drifted to the ceiling and he breathed out, " _She was something_."

"I'm very sorry." Clark sympathized.

The man looked up to Clark and said, "Don't wait. Waiting is the worst thing you can do, young man."

"Don't wait to what?"

"To tell her how you feel."

"But how can you—?"

"I told you, I'd seen that face before." Clark nodded. "The universe is funny, you know? The way it teaches you a lesson. I only wish that she had known how I felt all those years ago underneath it all. Maybe if she had known, if I had known sooner, I wouldn't still carry that around. But you, you still have a chance, Mr. Kent. If there's anything that came out of this situation, it's me giving this advice to you. Don't wait until it's too late. You can't take time for granted. If you do, you can end up missing your chance, and end up alone."

Clark firmly shook the man's hand before the older man finally let go. He backed himself away from the bed and headed for the door. He turned back once more and said, "Thanks again." The older man nodded and Clark fully left the room and headed into the hallway.

As he walked down, not sure where he was supposed to be heading, he mulled over the words he had just heard inside his head. He knew them all too well. He had lived with them for little over a month. The advice was right, he couldn't wait. Fate had given him a second chance to say what he felt, now that he firmly knew what that was. He had almost lost her on Doomsday, then again with Zod. He wasn't going to take that chance anymore. He wasn't going to take time for granted anymore.

Marching down the rest of the way he found Lois outside one the rooms, writing something down in her notebook.

"Lois." He said.

"Oh, look who finally showed up. Where have you been?"

"Mr. Robertson wanted to tell me something."

Her eyes sparkled when he said that, "Something good?"

"Something personal."

She looked at him with confusion then shrugged it off. "Well, I think we have enough to write the article. I just have to get back in touch with my source at the station and see what they got out of Smokey the Bandit."

"Smokey the Bandit?"

Lois winced, "Yeah, I don't like it either. I can't say _Gas Man_ because that's just dumb." She then pushed past him and headed for the exit.

"Lois." He called out to her.

Standing on the curb she hailed a taxi and continuously hit her pen against her notebook. "What about this as a headline, _Blur Smokes Out Smokeman_?"

He was about to say something, but the arrival of the cab distracted him. He quickly followed her in and shut the door. She told him to take them to the Daily Planet and he used the time to try and muster up words.

"I'm really sorry for missing the breakfast we planned. It's just things were really hectic this morning."

"Smallville, don't worry about it. I had my donut. I'm fine."

But he could tell she wasn't fine. They sat in silence for a little bit until Clark mustered up enough the ability to speak again. "Look, Lois…"

"Oh, we're here." She said opening the door as soon as the cab stopped. Letting out a defeated sigh, he reached for his wallet and paid the fair. Getting out onto the sidewalk he watched as Lois went through the rotating doors and into the building.

"What are you waiting for, Kent? It's now or never. Go and get what you want before it's too late."

~/~

Lois plowed through the people getting out of the elevator as she got into it. Letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, she tried to pull herself together. She didn't want to be angry over a stupid breakfast that had probably meant nothing in the first place but it seemed like she couldn't stop the feelings from boiling up.

Once the doors reached the basement she walked out and through the glass doors and to her desk. A memo was on top of her keyboard. Her eyes had quickly darted to the side and she saw him standing there, just looking at her. Pretending not the notice she picked up the memo and stared at it intently.

"Lois, I want to explain what happened." She heard him say.

Lois put down the paper and looked at Clark. "It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me. Lois, the reason why I wasn't here was because Callie got sick."

"Sick? What do you mean sick? Is she okay?" She asked, starting to panic.

"Yeah, she's fine, but I had to get all this _stuff_ for her…"

"What does she have?"

"Well, she was sneezing a bunch, but Lois …"

"Okay, so you said you got things, right? Did you make sure she had extra tissues around? Did you make her soup? Or give her extra blankets in case she gets cold…"

" **Lois."**

"Did you make sure that you gave her the cordless phone so she doesn't have to get up?"

" **Lois."**

"You know, maybe I should stop over and make my homemade rem—."

Before she could finish her sentence Clark had grabbed both of her shoulders in his hands and crashed his lips on hers. Her eyes were wide with surprise but the feel of him around her and the sensation flowing through body made her melt right into him. Her hands moved up to his hair, his arms down around her waist.

The kiss was amazing. Awe inspiring. It was…perfection. Like, the two of them were pieces of a puzzle that fit with each other so completely. Time stood still and Lois let her body react to his, her lips react to his. Her heart was racing. Her mind was racing. He felt right. But in the back of her mind, it felt like something was trying to break free. Little by little different feelings hit the pit of her stomach sending messages to her brain. The one that struck her the most was: _familiarity_.

She felt him start to pull away. She knew people in the bullpen were looking at them, but she didn't care. All she could see was him. He was looking down at her with such warmth with his eyes and she felt her whole body heat up.

"I wouldn't call that a swing and a miss. Would you?" He asked as his eyes bored into hers.

"Over the fence, Smallville." She said softly.

Then he smiled that bright, charming smile that always made her weak in the knees.

' _That smile.'_ She thought.

A whirlwind of images flashed through her brain, like memories that had been freed from a tightly bound canister. Image after image, memory after memory, it all started to click. She had pieced it together after getting slashed in the arm by Zod and before passing out.

' _It can't be.'_ She thought.

"I have to go."

She pulled out of the rest of his embrace and suddenly felt a chill go up her spine, the warmth gone. She hastened her steps and went straight for the ladies room, the one place he wouldn't be able enter, that is if he even was going to come after her. She headed straight for the sink and gripped the sides of it. Turning the knob of the faucet on she let the water run and gently patted the coolness of it on her face.

She looked up in the mirror and stared at herself.

Her mind was still trying to rationalize the kiss, making excuses. It couldn't be, it was too bizarre, but the evidence had just been on her lips.

Clark Kent was the Blur.


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two: Revelation and Recuperation

**Chapter Twenty-Two:** _**Revelation and Recuperation** _

Lois pulled the door to the bathroom open just a little bit so she could peek one eye out to see the workers passing by. She didn't see six and half feet of Clark Kent by the doorway which made her breathe a sigh of relief. She let the door shut and then placed her back against it.

"All those times he ran off…" she said to herself. "…and the save this morning. That's why he didn't make it for breakfast." She hit the palm of her hand on her forehead. "Nice one, Lois. You get pissed at the guy and he had just saved twenty or so lives in that factory. _Way to go_."

She groaned and hit the back of her head on the door. Suddenly she felt the door move behind her, like someone was trying to come in. She turned around and pushed the door back closed and turned the little lock on it.

"Sorry, this bathroom is _occupado_." She called out.

"Is that you, Lois?" a female voice said. "There are like seven stalls in there. You can't have them all to yourself!"

"Yeah, well, I'm going through _something_ right now. Try the bathroom upstairs."

"You're not in there with Kent are you?"

Lois rolled her eyes, feeling anger rise within her, "Do you _really_ think we'd be having this conversation if he were in here with me? _Seriously_?"

The woman grunted something that Lois couldn't decipher and said, "Whatever."

She heard the woman walk away and started to pace the tiny entranceway.

"Like I'd really pull Smallville in here for a make-out session." She huffed.

' _Copy room is better,'_ a voice in her head said.

"Ugh!" She groaned. She started to slap the side of her head, "Get out. Get out. Get out."

Settling down a bit her thoughts started to become a bit clearer. She checked all the stalls just to make sure she was alone before talking to herself aloud.

"So, Clark is the Blur and The Blur is… _Clark_?" She touched her lips and nodded. "Yup…" She shook her head and said, "How did I not put these pieces together? I mean, I _work_ with the guy, I _lived_ with him."

She fisted her hands and then let them fall straight down. She breathed out, "But somehow I _did_ know. Everything was there. I remember figuring it all out, then that…that guy from my dreams… he was there and I felt paralyzed and the way Clark looked at me, the look in his eyes, his smile… _I knew_."

She smiled and sighed. "Clark is The Blur." Her eyes widened. "Holy crap, Clark is _The Blur_!"

She quickly cupped her hands around her mouth. She looked around then rolled her eyes at herself since she was alone. Slowly she let her hands drop from her mouth.

"That's right, Lois. You've known his secret for five minutes and your big mouth is already yapping."

Running her fingers through her hair and patting down her jacket and skirt she stared at the lock on the door and twisted it. Taking a deep breath she placed her hand on the handle, pulled the door open, and walked slowly out into the crowd of people gathered around the television.

"What's going on?" She asked no one in particular, her arms folded against her chest.

"High speed chase." A guy in front of her, who she thought worked on the 8th floor, commented with his eyes glued to the screen.

"Whoa! Did you see that? He ran right over the spikes!"

"Oh my gosh. He's going to run right into the school bus!" A woman in the front shrieked.

Lois' eyes widened, the woman was right. The guy driving the black Hummer was racing head on into a bus crossing the intersection. She immediately closed her eyes, not wanting to see the scene that was about to take place, but in the mere seconds her eyes were closed, instead of cries of horror she heard cheers of joy.

"Did you see that!"

"I can't believe my eyes!"

"It must have been _him_!"

Lois opened her eyes back up and saw that the Hummer was fully stopped, the hood of the car crashed in toward the windshield and the bus was pulled back away from the intersection, completely spared.

A smile spread across her face.

"Wasn't that amazing, Lane?"

She nodded and stared at the screen knowingly. "Sure was."

~/~

"Sharp provolone, you smell like dirty gym socks, but taste oh so good on wheat crackers." Callie said then took a bite. She picked up her juice box of her Peach Pear drink from the tray next to her and let the cool liquid run down her throat. Suddenly her nose started to tickle her. Grabbing a tissue she sneezed, "Achoo!"

Shelby, who was lying on top of her legs on the couch, perked up and looked at her, then put his head back down. Leaning back into the couch pillows, her illness coming back strong, she groaned, "This sucks," and blew her nose.

She had gotten sick at different times in her life, but it never lasted long. The only thing was it always got worse before it got better, but she wasn't going to tell Clark that. She knew exactly how it happened, too. Flying around different climates, staying up all night, and pushing herself to do all the chores.

' _Let's not forget the other sleepless nights and the fact that you just broke out of the Phantom Zone.'_

She glanced over at the phone and wondered what Clark was doing. She was bored, for one, and two, she was sort of expecting him to be all on top of this, calling her to make sure hadn't moved an inch because…well, because he was Clark, he was her dad, whether he knew it or not.

"I guess he's settled down a bit."

She should be happy, him taking a chill pill and all, but in the back of her mind she kind of missed it. As if on cue, the phone started to ring. She reached for it but then pulled her hand back.

' _What if it's grandma again?'_ she thought.

Waiting for the machine, it beeped, then she heard the words, "Callie…its Clark…"

Snatching the phone off the tray she clicked it on and said, "Hello?"

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She sniffled.

' _Damn runny nose._ ' She thought.

"You haven't moved a muscle right?"

She stifled a laugh and said, "No."

"Good."

There was some silence and then Callie realized the events of the morning. She had seen the story about the factory then the high speed chance. On top of all of that he had been supposed to meet Lois for breakfast. She knew he was fast, but he wasn't that fast. She eagerly wanted to know what transpired after he left.

"Hey, are you okay? How did this morning go?"

"I'm fine, so just stick to taking care of yourself, okay?"

' _He's avoiding something. I know it.'_ She thought.

"Oh, come on, I've been stuck in here so long I need to know what's happening in the outside world. I just want to know how things went with Lois. _Pllleeeeaaassseeee_."

" _Ah_. Alright." There was a beat of silence and then he said, "Things went…awkward."

"Awkward good or awkward bad?"

"Jury is still out on that one."

She could hear the wind blowing in the background and imagined him standing on one of the tallest buildings in Metropolis, staring out into the world, talking to her, and shuffling his feet as he avoided going back to work.

"Okay, what happened? Dr. Callie is listening." She asked sitting up.

"Callie, it's sweet you want to be my sounding board, but let's just focus on you resting and getting better."

"But this is making me better. If I can't be out there and help you, at least let me help you from the couch in some form. Don't make me pull out the ' _please'_ again."

She heard him take a deep breath, obviously defeated by her advances, and then say, "She ran."

"She ran?" Callie questioned. "What do you mean she ran?"

"She ran…after…after I kissed her."

Callie's mouth fell open. "You kissed her? Again? As Clark Kent this time, right?"

"Yes, and then she ran."

"Okay, every time you say _she ran_ I get that weird 80's song stuck in my head." She said chuckling.

' _Which, is so Mom's fault.'_

She heard him suppress a chuckle then continued, "I don't even know how it happened, but all of a sudden I'm kissing her and then she…you know."

A voice, her mother's voice, echoed in her mind saying and the partial sentence couldn't quite place. All she kept hearing was, " _The whole kiss and run of it all."_

Hunting through her memories, she remembered asking once when she and dad had their first kiss.

" _First kiss, huh?" Her mother asked as they swung on the porch swing on a hot summer day at the farm house. "What brought this on?"_

_Callie shrugged her shoulders. "Just curious. Every love story has its first magical kiss."_

" _Mmmhmmm." Her mother hugged her close. "Well, let's see, your dad and I had kissed on different—_ _ **occasions**_ — _in the past, but the first_ _real_ _kiss we had was in the Daily Planet bullpen, when we were still in the basement."_

_Callie leaned into her mother's shoulder and listened intently._

" _I was angry about something, at this point I don't even remember what it was. Your dad walked in, I was rambling, he couldn't get a sentence in, and then," she stopped and sighed, "He just grabbed me and kissed me. Probably to shut me up," she laughed, "but it was incredible—so incredible and eye-opening that when it ended, I bolted."_

" _You bolted?"_

" _Yup, I ran. I had this tightly bound bolt reflex back then, but your dad broke through that, eventually. He broke through a lot of things."She said combing through Callie's hair with her fingers._

" _Well, he is strong." Callie commented._

" _Very. I like to think that because of that he was always the only one—the only one who could ever do it…who could ever break through those barriers I had up."_

" _I'm glad he did."_

" _Me too, sweetie." She hugged her tight. "So, that's it, the whole kiss and run of it all. Now are you sure there's nothing you want to talk about?"_

Callie smiled at the memory. She had been fifteen. She had just finished freshman year at Metropolis High, and there had been a boy, he had been—.

"Maybe I screwed up, moved in too fast. Maybe I should pull back." Clark's voice rang through the phone.

Callie was broken out of her thoughts and she wasn't sure if Clark was still talking to her or just talking to himself at this point.

"No!" Callie exclaimed, almost jumping off the couch. Settling down she cleared her throat and said, "Uh, no, there's no need to pull back completely. Just give her some space. She probably just needs to think it through. Trust me. It'll all work out."

"Well, you would know." He said softly.

Caught off guard she asked, "What does that mean?"

"Oh—well—um—," he stumbled, "Like you've said before, to trust you because you're from the future."

" _Right_ , I did sort of say that." She said slowly, still thinking that something was off.

"So, you're okay? You don't need anything?" He asked, changing the subject.

"I'm feeling better already." She lied then quickly cupped the phone to sneeze. She sneezed down and realized she had just sneezed into her chest. "Ugh, I just sneezed on my boobs. _Nice_. This being sick thing sucks."

" _Callie?...You still there?"_ She heard from the phone.

Sniffling and clearing her throat she uncapped the phone and placed it back to her ear. "I'm still here."

"I'm going cut today short so I'll be home in a little while, okay?"

"You don't have to…" She began.

"Hey, you're sick, take advantage of me taking care of you. Just lie down and drink lots of fluids"

"Okay… Thanks for taking care of me, Clark."

Even though she couldn't hear it and she couldn't see it, she knew he was smiling.

"You're welcome."

There was a few seconds of silence then she heard a click and the line went dead. She turned the phone off and put it back on the tray.

She looked around the house once more, taking notice again to how the house was different, from furniture to the size of rooms (there had been some additions put on later), but it was home away from home.

Sighing, she lifted up the television remote and turned the T.V. back on. Flipping through the channels she stopped when she saw a familiar black and white scene from a movie. A girl with pigtails was running with her dog down a road and through a farm. It was _The Wizard of Oz_ , the movie where a girl from Kansas gets swept up into a tornado and placed into a different world where she meets a band of characters that resemble people from her home. They must battle a wicked witch and follow the yellow brick road in order to find the great and powerful Oz so Dorothy can get back home.

"You and me both, Dorothy. You and me both. At least you had the ruby slippers."

~/~

Lois stared across from her for the billionth time. He still wasn't back yet. Not that she could blame him after all he had done that morning: the factory, the saving of the kids on the bus, and few other things around the city.

She knew she wasn't going to get any work done and the minute he stepped foot back into the bullpen she had no idea what she would even say to him. Her luck, she would open her mouth and gibberish would come out.

"Hey, Lo."

Lois' head snapped up and she saw Chloe coming her way. She quickly slapped a smile on her face and turned to her computer screen, trying to make herself look busy.

"Hey, Chlo. What brings you down here?"

Chloe pulled out a manila envelope from her bag on her shoulder and clutched it to her chest.

"I just wanted to drop something off for Clark."

Suddenly Lois studied Chloe's face. Thoughts from years past crept in, thoughts about Chloe being secretive and her strong allegiance to Clark for so long.

' _She knows doesn't she?'_ She thought. ' _Of course. She's probably known for years, Lois. They were so close for so long. It makes sense.'_

An ounce of sadness came over her, but she slightly shook her head and demanded her brain not dwell on it. If Chloe knew the secret and kept it from her she had her reasons. And if Clark hadn't wanted to tell her, too, then he had his reasons as well.

' _Just keep telling yourself that.'_

Blinking away some moisture from her eyes she looked straight back at Chloe and then to the envelope. "Anything interesting?"

Chloe looked down at the envelope and then back to Lois. She smiled and opened it up, pulling out photos. Handing them to Lois she commented, "I was hanging out with Callie not too long ago. We were taking photos and Callie decided to use her best modeling techniques."

Handing Lois the photos she pointed to the top one, laughed saying, "That's her _smizing_. I thought Clark would like to have them. She looks adorable."

Lois shuffled through the photos, Callie's bright blue eyes shining back at her. In the next photo she was laughing and Lois couldn't help but see some of Clark in her, which if she really thought about it was sort of odd since Clark was adopted and all. Not only was there that, but something else nagging her, too. She felt so dumb, this voice inside telling her to look at the picture closer, that she was missing something, yet she couldn't see it. She knew it was there and she didn't know what it was yet.

"Yeah, he's going to love these." She breathed out softly.

"Lois, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said placing the photos down on her desk. "So, are you free? Want to grab an early lunch?"

"Sure." Chloe said, but then her phone started to ring. Taking it out of her bag she frowned at the screen and then held up a finger to indicate that she'd be back in a moment. As Chloe walked off Lois looked back down at the photos and went through them again.

"Why do I have this feeling like I'm missing something?"

"Hey, Lane," she heard someone call from behind her. As she turned she saw Tom Torola coming her way. "How awesome was that chase this morning?"

"As awesome as awesome can be, Tom." She said moving the pictures off her keyboard and to the side of her desk.

"I have those papers you wan—hey, I know her." He said pointing to the photos.

"Yeah, that's Clark Kent's cousin. She was here not too long ago helping me out. I was showing her the ropes."

' _Then those ropes turned into chains as you were kidnapped and shackled in a factory by Metallo.'_

"I saw her before that though. It was before you got back. I had taken over your desk and she came in asking for you, because she knew that was your desk. I actually thought at first it was you with the way she walked into the bullpen."

"Really? That was _before_ I came back?"

"Yeah, then like a day later was when you resurfaced. You reclaimed your desk and then I saw her again that day you brought her." He placed the papers he was holding on her desk and said, "Guess it all worked out. She found you after all. See you later, Lane."

She nodded and mumbled. "See you later."

"Sorry about that." Chloe's voice said as she made her way back to the desk. "I don't think I'm going to be able to grab that lunch with you after all."

Standing up from her desk, Lois gathered some papers together, placing them in her bag and then put the pictures back into the envelope, reaching across her desk to drop it onto Clark's. "Actually, something just came up and I don't think I'll be able to grab it either."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just…need to investigate something that's come to my attention."

"Well, I guess you wouldn't be an investigative reporter if you didn't." She smiled.

Placing her bag over her shoulder she stared at Chloe, determined. "No, I wouldn't be."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Lois nodded then pulled her cousin in for a quick hug and peck on the cheek. "See you later, cuz."

She headed up the steps of the basement and then out onto the street. There was something about what Tom said, about Callie being there before she came back. There could be a few different explanations, but something in her gut said something was still off.

' _What am I doing? Just because Clark had a secret the size of Montana doesn't mean everybody else does too.'_

" _Achoo_!" Some woman said in front of her, breaking her out of her thoughts, "I hate getting sick this time of year."

Lois stopped in her tracks. With everything that happened after the kiss and the revelation, she had completely forgotten that Callie was sick. How could she have not remembered that? She had just looked at pictures of her and nothing had registered. She felt horrible. Here she was about to investigate what was probably nothing involving Callie looking for her and she had brushed to the farthest corners of her mind that Callie was at home sick. It was something that she had been so worried about before Clark had blindsided her with a kiss.

"Damn, Smallville. Why did he have to give me a kiss that felt like it altered time and space?" she whispered.

Quickly she took her bag off her shoulder and dug into it for her cellphone. Maybe if she called Callie that might make her feel better. With her head slung down someone bumped into her shoulder.

"Hey!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" They said, and then they saw who she was, "Oh, Miss Lane, I'm really _really_ sorry, I didn't see you. Are you okay?"

' _Jeff.'_ She thought.

"I'm fine." She could see the relief flash before his eyes and she smiled at him. "But, I do need a favor."

"Sure, Miss Lane, anything you need." He said eagerly.

As an idea formed in her head she pulled her reporter's pad and a pen, instead of her phone, out of her bag. As she started to write she said, "I need you to go to this place and get these items. Then take it to this address." She ripped out the piece of paper and slapped it against the intern's chest then continued to write on the next piece, "Then give this note with it." She ripped out the second piece and did the same action.

The young intern seemed startled at first but read the first page she had given him and gave her an affirmative nod. "Sure thing, Miss Lane. You can count on me."

~/~

Clark walked out of the elevator and prepared himself for the walk to his desk. The morning had been so hectic with saves and with kissing Lois that his mind was on overload. Then, to top it all off, he had gotten a call from Chloe. Another strange occurrence had happened in the South Pacific so Kara would be working with A.C. on a mission there. Since she was embracing being Watchtower and rallying the estranged members of the League, Chloe had begun to alert everyone and keep track of problems in the world, especially when they were still on the hunt for Zod. Anything strange that happened in the world was immediately tended to.

He was happy that Kara was able to help, but a part of him wished that he could travel down there and be of assistance, too. He could always hitch a ride on Oliver's private jet, he knew that, but he also knew that wasn't enough. Kara could get there because she could fly while Clark Kent was still earthbound. Even after Lois disappeared and him giving up on his human side, he thought since he had embraced his alien heritage he could unlock the power within him that Kara had. Alas, he had not (even Callie had mocked him on that) and it made him think that maybe there was something more to it. Maybe something had to happen out there and inside himself for it to finally be unleashed, for his feet to lift off the ground and for clouds to dissipate in his wake.

' _One day'_ , he thought.

As he rounded the corner, Clark coached himself in preparation for Lois. He knew he had too much on his mind already, but he didn't want the first words out of his mouth to be something inane. He finally felt he was ready for this. He had almost lost Lois multiple times and knew without her in his life he was an empty shell. If she needed space he would give that to her, but he knew that he needed her. He needed to be with her.

' _That's what I'll tell her. We'll talk out what happened and I'll tell her that through everything she has been the one that I needed._ '

More confident, Clark walked over to their desks but found hers empty, though the mess she left on it was still visible. He had hoped that she would be there but to find her desk empty wasn't really a surprise.

' _Space. She just needs some space.'_

He saw an envelope on his desk and curiously went to retrieve it. Opening it up he pulled out its contents and saw that they were photos of Callie which he remembered being mentioned in his phone call from Chloe. He was going to question her about Lois but he didn't want to bring up anything at that point, besides he had already had his brief ' _counseling_ ' session with Callie anyway.

"You really are something." He said as he sifted through the photos.

Sitting down in his seat he moved the photos to the side of his desk and stared at the empty desk across from him. He knew that he could stare at the desk for the rest of the day, but she wouldn't be back. He knew that his actions had surprised her but he also knew what he felt, especially during that kiss.

This was a new Clark Kent, a mature, grown up Clark Kent. No more hiding. No more running. He wasn't going to think of the past and he definitely didn't want to dwell on the future (though sometimes it was hard not to with the circumstances and all). He was going to think about the present and in the present his mind was set. He would wait for Lois, even if it meant waiting forever.

~/~

As the movie ended, the sun in the sky had shifted and brought sunlight into the living room. Callie closed her eyes to the rays of light and heat as she could feel them work their magic on her.

"Should have thought about this in the first place." She said.

Her nasal passages cleared up a bit and her throat didn't feel as sore. The sun wasn't an immediate cure but it did alleviate some of her symptoms. As she relaxed more on the couch there was a sudden knock at the front door. Pushing the covers away from her and pulling her legs out from underneath Shelby, she walked around the coffee table and to the door. When she opened it she saw a scrawny guy carrying two bags with two others by his side and a piece of paper stuck in his mouth.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"Bis dis duh fent esidance?" She heard him say.

Scrunching her face up in confusion she asked, "Huh?"

He dropped the bag he was holding and took the piece of paper out of his mouth. "Is this the Kent residence?" He clarified.

" _Oh_ , yeah, it wouldn't say Kent out front if it wasn't." She said pointing to the 'Kent Farm' sign that hung at the entrance of the driveway.

"Right, the sign out front should have been the give-a-way, huh?"

She smiled and nodded. Eyeing him she knew he looked familiar but she couldn't place it. She then asked, "Are you looking for Clark?"

"Actually, I'm looking for a girl named Callie. My name is Jeff; I work at the Daily Planet with Clark."

Her mouth slightly opened as she looked at the guy in front of once more.

' _Right, Jeff, of course that's you. You may be younger here but imagining that face strewn in terror/awe is a reminder all in itself.'_

"Well, _I'm_ Callie."

He nodded and tried to pick up all the bags, seemingly happy that he was able to accomplish finding the farm and her.

"Let me help you with that." She said.

"Nope. I'm under strict written orders that I'm to bring this inside and you're actually to stay put and rest."

She moved out of the way as he stumbled down the hall, looking for something, then turned left and went into the kitchen. She closed the door then followed him. She watched as he placed the bags on the island and started to pull out a multitude of containers.

"Strict orders from whom?" She asked as she crossed her arms across her chest. "And what is all of this."

' _Smells good though._ ' She thought.

"It's all in the note here." He said, pulling out a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and handing it to her.

Callie took the paper and opened it up.

_Callie-_

_I'm so sorry that I didn't call to ask how you were feeling. Something came up suddenly, but I wanted to make sure I got a little care package to you. So, eat up and stay on the couch or bed or wherever Smallville has secluded you to, Missy. I want to hear that you're feeling better tomorrow._

_-Lois_

_P.S. If you need anything just call, okay?_

Callie then walked over and looked into the first container on the counter.

**Soup.**

' _It's always the soup with you, Mom.'_ She thought.

Not that she was complaining. She actually welcomed soup at that moment, she just couldn't believe how much there was of it.

"She didn't know which one you liked so I got one of each." Jeff said, as if reading her thoughts.

Callie smiled and teared up a little but hid it from him.

"Thanks, this is perfect. Tell her thanks when you get back to the office."

He nodded and said, "Will do. And feel better."

She nodded and repeated back, "Will do."

"I'll see myself out." He said.

She watched Jeff leave the house then turned back to the kitchen, which was now full of containers of soup. Shelby came beside her and whimpered. She placed her hands on her hips and looked down at him.

"Looks like it's soup for supper, boy. Lots and lots of soup."

*/*

Three hours and four containers of soup later, Callie was half asleep on the couch. She finally felt like herself again. Her appetite was definitely back and she had even tested her strength by lifting up the couch. Now that she could actually breathe through her nose she had closed her eyes letting her body fully recharge.

The sound of the kitchen door opening woke her up completely and she turned to see Clark coming in.

"What happened here?" He laughed as he glanced around the kitchen and saw the empty containers in the sink and the bags on the island.

"A soup bomb went off."

"A soup bomb?"

"Courtesy of one Lois Lane. I guess you mentioned I was sick, huh?" She said as she moved from the couch to the stool at the island.

"It _may_ have come up." He said peeking into the containers in the sink then opening the fridge and seeing many, many more.

"Used me as an alibi?" She asked knowingly.

"Well…I…yeah."

She smiled, "Figured as much, not that I blame you. If you're hungry grab a spoon because I think Lois bought a whole year's supply and had it shipped here. The chicken gnocchi is good."

Clark pulled out a container marked 'CG' and put it in the microwave.

"You know, speaking of Lois and all, did you see her at work after everything?"

"No, by the time I got back she had left."

"I wouldn't think anything of it. I'm sure you'll talk tomorrow."

"Tomorrow we both have off from work and I have to take the stuff to the festival."

"You mean ' _we_ ', right?"

"No, I mean ' _I_ '. Callie, you're sick."

"Nuh, uh, "she said shaking her head, "One-hundred percent better. Just ask Shelby, I lifted the couch while he was on it."

"Callie, you didn't…"

"What?" she shrugged, "He liked it."

Clark tilted his head to the side and as he was about to say something the microwave beeped.

"Now, aside from how I gauged my recuperating health, I was really looking forward to going to the festival tomorrow."

He pulled the soup out and placed it on the island in front of him. He shook his head and said, "I don't know, Callie."

"Nothing bad will happen tomorrow, I promise. And I don't make promises I can't keep, just ask anyone. Well, anyone from the future that is, which would be hard to do right now, but you have my word." She rambled.

His face turned pensive as he stared at her for a few minutes. She then did the only thing she knew how to do best; she pouted her lips slightly and gave him the puppy dog eyes.

His face relaxed a bit and he asked, "You promise?"

She smiled triumphantly, "I promise."


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three: A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

**Chapter Twenty-Three:** _**A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words** _

After Lois had arrived home to her apartment she had decided to take a short nap to clear her whirlwind mind. Getting comfortable in her bed she told herself that she was only going to close her eyes for a few minutes, but the second she did she fell fast asleep.

_As Lois opened her eyes she knew automatically she was dreaming. She was in a sitting position, her hands chained around a pole. She looked around and saw that she was in a factory or a warehouse, but it looked strangely familiar. She looked forward into the darkness. She couldn't see in front of her and she couldn't hear anything around her. Suddenly a green blinking light began in the distance and started to inch its way closer to her. The light then stopped blinking and the sound of someone walking became louder. The darkness started to lift more and then she saw the form of a person and the green circular glow in his chest. As her eyes worked their way to his face she recognized him immediately. Metallo._

_She gulped as he moved toward her but as he took another step in her direction an arrow flew through the air, just like it had the night she had been kidnapped by him. She didn't see where it landed but Lois watched wide eyed as Metallo started to fly backwards. The chains around her hands began to be pulled in the direction as well, the force making them tighten around her. As she was about to scream from the pain she felt a sudden gust of wind and immediately felt the same intense rush as before._

_In a flash she noticed that she was outside. Her wrists still throbbed, but the chains were gone. She was okay. She looked around to see if anyone else was around but she was alone. It was the same as what happened that night. Her mind was reliving it. She had been saved by who she thought was the Blur but then she remembered that Clark had still been in the building. She hadn't seen him but she knew, from the feeling in her gut, he was in there and she knew that he was hurt._

_Just as she did that night she ran back in the direction of the warehouse she had been in, but many of them looked so identical that it was hard to tell which one it was. She didn't even know how it had looked from the outside to be honest._

_Then there was the sound of an explosion. Running in the direction she heard the blast come from she saw that the warehouse closest to the water was on fire. She ran faster and faster but stopped when she saw a figure walking out of the flames at the entryway._

_She held her breath as she started to feel droplets of water fall on her. The figure kept walking, coming closer and closer to her. The smoke impeded her vision, but she already knew who it was._

" _Lois."_

_A wide smile appeared across her face at the voice._

" _Clark!"She said, running to him._

_When she was close enough she jumped into his arms and latched onto him. She buried her face into his chest as she felt more droplets of rain hit her skin. Her hands were fisting the shirt on his back as she breathed a sigh of relief. Relief that he was okay and relief that it all made sense now._

" _Lois—I…"_

_Lois lifted her head up to look up at him. She relaxed her hands, letting go of his shirt, and placed her left hand on the side of his face._

" _Clark, I understand. I understand everything."_

" _I'm sorry."_

" _For being you? You never have to be sorry for that."_

_Using her toes to give her height, their faces became more aligned. Her lips were soon on top of his, his arms enveloping around her. The rain started to fall harder and she could hear sirens wailing in the background, but all of that didn't matter. She felt him embrace her tighter and she loved the feelings that were surging through her, now that she finally truly understood them. She felt safe. She felt complete. She was in love._

Reluctantly, Lois' eyes snapped open when she heard the sound of sirens grow louder outside her window. Groaning she looked over to her alarm clock and found out that her short nap had turned quickly into a ten hour nap.

"I always told Daddy that thinking was exhausting. Did he ever believe that's why I got some of my grades in school? No."

It was four in the morning and her mind, even in her dreams, still could not stop thinking about what had transpired the day before. Not that she could blame herself, this was huge news, but she also felt sadness. The sadness however, wasn't because she hadn't been in on the secret, but for Clark and the fact that he had to lie to people every day.

She sat up in her bed, hung her legs over the side and put on her bunny slippers. The thing she couldn't get out of her mind was that she talked to the Blur, but it had been Clark the whole time. She got angry for a moment, but then another thought came to her.

' _Is that the only way he could share both sides of himself without telling me?'_

She remembered the phone conversation they had the night Doomsday struck, how he said was keeping an eye on her and how she had arranged to meet him at the phone booth, to finally meet him, see him. He had gone that night, but then later the offer was off the table. Off the table after she disappeared and Jimmy died. Clark was all about keeping people safe and she got that now.

"He blamed himself." She whispered.

He had changed. She could see it when she had come back but Callie had confirmed it that one night they had talked over ice cream. Then he slowly returned to normal, something Callie attributed to Lois' return. Then the thing with Metallo happened and the creepy guy Zod from her dreams attacked. That was another instance in which the Blur saved her.

"Oh, Clark."

Then she thought back to the beginning of when they first met, that night so long ago in the corn field. She thought of all the crazy people with powers they had faced over the years. All the times her life had been mysteriously saved and the excuses he had to make up.

"I can't believe how difficult this must have been for him to carry his secret all the time. I just want to tell him that it doesn't matter to me. But... maybe coming clean isn't the best idea, either." She said as she began pacing at the edge of her bed.

She glanced at the blue and brown bunny with the words _Some-bunny want chocolate_ on its shirt on her dresser. Chloe had given it to her while she had been in the hospital. It was after that when everything really changed. When she had her near death experience her mother said to her the words, "Let him in." She knew it was about Clark, especially when the words echoed in her mind before their first attempt to kiss each other. She was ready for that, to let him in, but not until he was. He needed to let her in, too. Maybe that was what the kiss was all about, but she needed to be certain.

"I have to talk to him."

She glanced at her clock and saw that even more time had flown by while she was busy collecting her thoughts. She moved to her drawers and her closet pulling out jeans, a T-shirt, and a lavender zip-up jacket. Grabbing her bag she pulled out her keys and headed out the door. It might be early, but the drive would do her good. She needed answers. To the kiss, to what it meant, and to what she knew. She needed something, anything really, and the only place she was going to get it was Smallville.

*/*

A little while later, Lois pulled into the Kent farm driveway. She suddenly hit the brake pedal and put the car into park under the Kent Farm sign.

"What are you doing, Lois? You can't just walk in there like you always do."

This was how the whole drive had gone. She would talk to herself, talk herself into going to Smallville and talk herself out of it, as well as making many U-turns, sometimes illegal, but she had finally made it.

"But you made it this far. You need to know. You'll never be able to let it go unless you get some answers."

Nodding to herself, she placed her right foot on the brake pedal and put the car in drive. Hitting the gas she drove to the house. She saw the barn door open and piles of crates filled with vegetables out, while the truck was parked by the opening. Taking a deep breath she exited the car. Fumbling her keys in her hand she up walked through the gate, up the stairs, and to the front door. Usually she would just let herself in, instead this time she found herself knocking on it instead.

The door suddenly swung open and she was face to face with Clark.

"Lois." He said, surprised. "You're knocking on the front door?"

"Yeah, well, it is sort of early."

He smirked and said, "Never stopped you before."

"Well, today is different."

He gave her a quizzical look and she forced a smile on her face.

"Do you want to come in?"

"Oh, right."

She moved her feet through the threshold and past him as he closed the door behind her.

"You kind of ran off yesterday."

"Yeah, I did. I'm sorry about that. It's just I have this tightly bound bolt reflex and after…" She couldn't even finish her sentence as she looked at him. He was wearing a blue plaid shirt that was open and revealing a white T-shirt. She hadn't seen him wear plaid in a while. Her eyes traveled up to his face, to his lips, then to his eyes.

"Lois, are you sure you're okay?"

She smiled as she gazed at him. "I just…" calming herself she continued, "I woke up this morning and I saw things clearly for the first time."

He shifted his head a little to the side, his eyes questioning her statement. She broke eye contact with him and turned to the kitchen, seeing all the containers in the sink.

Changing the subject she said, "I guess Callie got my care package. I would have called to make sure, but I got busy all of a sudden."

"Thanks for the soup. Callie really enjoyed it. I think she got better because of it."

"Good." She said turning back to him and smiling.

There was silence between them for a few moments. Lois wanted to say something, but she couldn't. She wasn't going to force it out of him. She wasn't going to scream "secrets and lies" at him. That wasn't her style.

"Look, Lois, about yesterday."

Her eyes snapped to his. "You sort of caught me off guard with that, Smallville."

"I know, but I want you to know that I don't regret doing it."

"You don't?"

"No. When we we're at the hospital taking statements, that one guy we talked to, Mr. Robertson, he started to tell me about his life, and how he wished he could have told someone he cared about how he had felt in the past, but it had been too late. He said that time was too short and I understood what he meant. We've gone through a lot in our lives and there have been a lot of near misses, especially lately." He took a step forward and continued, "Yesterday morning you were mad at me and you had every right to be, but when I saw you start to worry about Callie, you had this look in your eye and you just looked so…" he trailed off and sighed, "so, I seized the moment."

"You sure did." She whispered.

"Lois, there's something else I need to tell you. It's something that I've never actually been able to tell anyone myself, but I need you to know that other half of me, the side many people don't get to see. It's only fair."

She nodded as her heart was racing. This was it. "I'm listening."

Her heart started beating faster. So fast she thought it was going to bust out of her chest.

"Lois, I'm the—."

"LOIS!" She heard Callie exclaim from the stairs, interrupting the moment.

~/~

Clark turned to the stairs and viewed a beaming Callie. He had been so close and yet the universe again had prevented him from telling his secret. He was ready to share that part of himself with Lois, but fate had other plans apparently.

' _Maybe it's better off this way. Maybe this isn't the right time._ ' He thought.

He watched as Callie jumped down the last step. She was excited for the festival; he could see it all over her face. All morning she had been anxious and some of that energy had actually started to rub off on him. His family had always participated in the Smallville Harvest Festival and even after the death of his father and his mother's move to Washington, he still helped, but the dynamic that had once been there had changed. He had Kara that first year, but at that time their familial relationship had been too new. It wasn't as enjoyable helping with the festival like it had been in that past. He figured this year would be the same, but the way Callie spoke about the festival, the excitement in her voice, the sparkle in her eye, it made him look forward to doing it again.

"You're coming to the festival, right? That is why you're here, isn't it?" Callie asked Lois.

He looked to Lois' face and part of his smile fell as he saw a gloomy look there as she stared at Callie.

"I'm too late." She said defeated.

"Too late for what?" Callie asked.

"I thought I could save you but it was no use, you've been here too long." They both looked at her strangely and then she tugged on Callie's shirt and said, "He got you in plaid. I'm so sorry, Callie. I should have been more vigilant, I should have taken you _shopping_."

Clark rolled his eyes and Callie chuckled.

"Very funny, Lois." He said.

She smirked at him then smiled, "I guess that's just a Kent family trademark, huh? You wouldn't be a Kent if you weren't spotted in plaid?"

Clark should have felt more awkward with that statement, with everything he knew, but he didn't. He looked down at his own clothes, he was wearing a blue plaid shirt while Callie had found his old red and gold one, which she had tied up at her waist. He smiled and pulled Callie into his shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess not."

Callie squinted her eyes at him, as if wondering why he said that, then relaxed and smiled.

"Actually, that shirt looks kind of familiar." Lois said then as she looked at it closer he could see her face turning slightly red.

"Are you turning red?" Clark asked, teasing her.

"No." She said suddenly, rubbing her hand against her cheek.

Clark held back a smile, knowing exactly what moment was playing in her mind because it played through his, too.

"Okay, why are you two looking like that?" Callie asked.

That question was answered with, "What do you mean?" and "I'm not looking like anything," said by Clark and Lois at the same time.

"Yeah. _Okay_." Callie shrugged. "So, what needs to go in the truck?"

"I have everything in crates in the barn ready to be loaded up."

Callie smiled, "Awesome." She then fell out of Clark's grasp and ran toward the door. "I'll start loading it up." She called out.

"Wait, you don't have to do all that by yourself. You were sick yesterday." He said.

"I know, but all that awesome soup from Lois gave me strength. I can do this, easy-squeezy." She turned to Lois and said, "Thanks, by the way, you didn't have to do that."

"Of course I did." Lois winked.

Callie nodded and headed out the door.

"Wow, she's eager to go." Lois said.

"Yeah, she's really excited for this." He said turning his head to the kitchen door that Callie had just left through.

"She doesn't even look like she was sick."

"She says she feels at one-hundred percent. I tried to talk her out of going but she wouldn't hear of it. I couldn't say ' _no_ ' to that face."

"Who could?" Lois remarked.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then Clark said, "So, are you coming or what?"

"I don't know. It really wasn't my intention to go to the festival…"

"What _was_ your intention then?"

He watched her as she thought about what she was going to say. If he had to describe her actions in any way it would seem that she was nervous. Though, Lois being nervous was something foreign to him as Clark Kent. The only time she was ever really nervous was when he had contacted her as the Blur.

' _This is all about the kiss isn't it?'_ he thought.

"Well, the truth is…" she took a deep breath and said, "Clark, I—"

"Okay, we're all loaded up." Callie said as she stuck her head in the small opening of the door.

Clark let out the breath he was holding and Lois let out a defeated sigh.

"Okay." Clark called back.

Callie nodded and her head left the doorway.

"You were saying?" Clark asked.

"Let's just table it for now; we'll talk when things are less hectic."

As Lois turned around to leave Clark called out, "Where are you going?"

"Uh, home."

"So, you're not coming?"

"I just don't want to be the ' _bitter chick'_ in a fun Kent family outing."

"First of all, I don't think that would be possible, and second, I know that Callie and I would both really like you to come."

Lois slightly bit her bottom lip obviously toying with the idea of attending the festival with them.

He slowly moved toward her saying, "Also, if you don't go you'll have to explain that to Callie, and like we just discussed, can you really say ' _no_ ' to that face?"

"Looks like I can't ' _no_ ' to yours either, Smallville." His superhearing picked up in her faint whisper.

He couldn't hold back the grin he felt appearing on his face and pressed, "So?"

"Okay, fine, I'll go." She conceded.

He smiled wide and said, "Great."

Ten minutes later they arrived at the field that the Smallville Harvest Festival was being held at that year. Banners, tents, booths, and streamers of red and gold were decked out in the area. Everyone exited the car and Clark walked around the vehicle to pull down the door to the bed of the truck.

"So, are these going anywhere in particular, Smallville?" Lois asked as he climbed up.

"Mrs. Johnson usually has the vegetable stands all lined under a blue tent near the entrance. Everyone who supplies stuff just drops them behind the tents and whoever is working there divides them up."

"Okay, pass me a crate." She said.

As he passed Lois a light crate, Callie jumped up on the truck, putting work gloves on, and started to pull two at a time. Concerned on how that might look to the other people around Clark figured he should remind her to keep her powers at bay.

"Callie, don't make it look like you're carrying those so easily." He whispered.

"So, in other words, carry them like a girl?" She asked, rolling her eyes.

"Callie, I didn't mean it—"

"No, that's okay," she then hunched over, pulling one crate, and whined, "Oh, _ow_ , my girly arms can't possibly hold this tremendously heavy crate of corn."

Clark took the crate from her and said, "Ha. Ha. Very funny."

" _What?_ It's what you asked."

"Okay, then I'll ask something else. How about you stay here and unload the crates from the truck and place them on the ground. Then Lois and I will come back and get them."

"I'm not going to do anything stupid." She defended.

"I know that. It would help me out, okay? Besides, even though this is Smallville, I don't want anyone coming over here and just taking these."

"So, I've been delegated to being the security guard for the vegetables?"

"I prefer the term produce security agent." He grinned as he stepped down from the truck, crate in hand.

"So, when you and Lois kissed did she somehow pass along some of her sense of humor to you?"

Clark laughed, "Maybe I'm just in a good mood today."

As Clark went around the truck to fetch Lois he saw that she had already brought her grate over to the tents and was talking to Mrs. Johnson. Walking quicker he arrived to hear them talking about the Daily Planet.

Acknowledging his presence Lois turned and commented, "Hey, took you long enough."

"Sorry, I was just talking to Callie." He then turned to the woman beside her, her gray hair tied up in a bun while her clothes were masked by the blue apron she was wearing, "Hi, Mrs. Johnson."

"Hi, Clark. My husband and I haven't seen you around in a while, how is everything going? The big city treating you well?"

"Very well."

"Every time I pick up a Daily Planet paper I always look for any articles that you've written."

"Thank you."

"I know a lot of us are proud that someone from Smallville is becoming so successful and now I've gotten to meet your girlfriend, the talented Lois Lane. I feel like I should have you two sign me some autographs so I can save it and have when you're both famous."

Clark didn't know why but he took the opportunity to grab Lois' hand. As soon as he did it her eyes snapped to his, but all he could do was stare at her with a goofy grin. His thoughts from the day before were coming back, how much he knew that he needed her. When Mrs. Johnson referred to her as his girlfriend, he liked it, he really liked it. It didn't want to make him correct her and it didn't scare him. He hoped that Lois felt the same way.

He turned back to Mrs. Johnson and said, "That's very kind of you to say. I don't know about me, but if there's anyone's autograph you want to get its Lois'."

She was biting her lip again, she had been doing it the whole car ride, and he knew she was doing it out of a nervous habit. He wasn't playing it safe anymore. He felt stronger than ever. If he wasn't certain that he was in complete control of himself, the way he was feeling almost felt like being on red kryptonite. He found it very satisfying and fitting that it was Lois that could bring out that side of him, that she had been the only one to really bring that side out of him all along.

"Oh, the way you two kids look at each other, it reminds me of Todd and I when we were younger." She gushed, bringing her clasped hands to her mouth. "Now, go have fun. I'll send someone to pick up the rest from your truck."

Clark and Lois looked at each other then back to her, both of them nodding their heads.

~/~

Callie lifted up another crate and hopped off the bed of the truck placing it by the back tire. Whipping off her gloves she watched as the people of Smallville and the surrounding areas celebrated the summer festival. The scene before her wasn't new; it was something she experienced every summer. It was something she looked forward to every summer.

"At least I'm keeping up with tradition in some way." She mumbled climbing back into the bed of the truck.

"Did it hurt?" She heard someone ask from behind her.

She turned around and saw a guy, around her age, standing at the back of the truck. He was cute, with dark spiky hair, in a white T-shirt, which showed off his muscles, and a pair of blue jeans.

' _Hello, sailor.'_ Shaking her head she asked, "Huh?"

"Did it hurt?" He asked again.

Standing up straight she placed her hands on her hips and asked, "Did _what_ hurt?"

He smiled and said, "When you fell from heaven and hit Earth."

Rolling her eyes she scoffed and said, "No, but it hurt when I fell from the Phantom Zone and hit Earth. Landing was a _bitch_."

His brows furrowed when she said that and she was sure he would have walked away after that, but instead he stayed, a wide smile on his face.

"You need help with any of that?" His head tilted toward the crates filled with vegetables beside her.

"No, I'm okay."

"Are you sure? Looks really _heavy_ for someone like you."

"Someone _like me_?" She asked, getting a bit pissed off.

' _Great, now I have someone else pointing out I'm just a girl?'_

He climbed onto the bed of the truck and lifted one of the crates. "Well, you know."

"No, I don't think _I know_." She said challenging him to give the sexist answer she knew he was alluding to.

Carrying the crate he hopped off the truck and placed it next to the one she had put down moments before.

"I'm just saying, with me here to help you it won't be as hectic a job or time consuming."

She narrowed her eyes at him and walked slowly off the bed of the truck, counting to ten in her mind. Plastering a smile on her face she said, "Well, I guess it's good then that I have big strong arms like the ones you've got to help little ole me move a couple crates off a truck."

He moved closer to her and said, "That's not all these arms can do…or these hands."

She knew exactly what he was trying to pull. The moment he came closer a familiar voice popped in her head and advised her on what to do in this particular situation. Listening to the orders of his deep voice, a plan was set in motion and a smirk spread across her face. All she had to do was wait for the right moment.

~/~

Lois walked by Clark's side, her hand still in his, as they traveled through the conglomerate of people already at the various stands of the festival. She looked around as everyone was enjoying themselves, but even though she was trying her hardest to be cool, calm, and collected, Lois Lane was anything but that.

Looking to her left she stared at Clark, biting her bottom lip, a nervous habit she was suddenly developing. He didn't look any different, as hard as she tried to find something, he was still Clark Kent, even though today he seemed like the more confident model. He was still the guy she knew growing up on the farm. The guy she teased. The guy she hung out and played games with. The guy she watched movies with. The guy she worked with at the Daily Planet. The guy who kissed her senselessly in the middle of the bullpen. The guy whose hand she wanted to hold onto for dear life.

' _Don't forget the guy who has saved your life on more than one occasion.'_

She let out a sigh and looked away from him.

"You okay, Lois? You've been acting strange all morning."

' _Look who's talking._ ' she thought. Then another voice rang out, ' _Not that you mind it._ '

Her eyes met his and she offered him a smile. "I neglected to have my morning coffee. That's probably why I'm a bit off."

He looked as if he were about to reply to her but instead she saw his eyes shift over her shoulder and narrow in annoyance. Turning her head over her shoulder she saw Callie talking to some guy at the truck. He looked like he was hitting on her by trying to help her with the crates.

Looking back up to Clark's face she could tell he was not amused at what he was watching play out. A sudden burst of curiosity swept over her. She knew that Clark was being protective over Callie, but the look in his eyes was one she'd never seen before.

Lois felt a slight wave of worry wash over her. She knew enough about Clark, or rather Clark's other half, that whatever powers he had he used them for good. However, the look in his eyes she was witnessing was one that any person wouldn't want to be the subject of, and the guy talking to Callie was just that.

Letting go of her hand, Clark started to walk towards the truck but Lois suddenly found herself jumping in front of him.

"Clark, I think you need to stop and think about this first."

"Think about what?" He asked as his eyes were still glued to the truck.

She placed her hands on his chest and he immediately looked down, his eyes softening at her physical gesture.

"I'm just saying that…you don't want to do something that you'll regret."

His brows raised at her comment and covered it by saying, "Smallville, she's eighteen and gorgeous. I'm just saying that she can take care of herself. You don't need to go and hurt the guy for taking interest in her."

"I wasn't going to hurt him," he said. Then she heard him mumble, " _much."_

She smiled at her triumph of being able to calm him down, not that she really thought he would do anything…well anything permanent. Looking back over she watched as the guy took a step closer to Callie, a little too close for her liking. "Wow, this guy has got some nerve, huh?"

Callie then turned and reached for something and the guy bent over and checked out her backside. Lois' eyes widened at the scene. Pushing up the sleeves of her zip-up above her elbows she said, "Oh, that's it."

She was mid-march when suddenly she felt big arms around her waist, holding her body up in midair as her legs still moved. She felt like one of those cartoon characters running in the air before they dashed away off screen.

As she struggled in his grasp she said, "Let go of me Smallville, that guy needs to have some sense _beaten_ into him."

"Gee Lois, I thought she could take care of herself?" he said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes and said, "Not now, Smallville. Now, let me go. I'll even let you hold him down for me."

She felt his arms loosen around her waist and as soon as they disappeared they were both well on their way to the truck. They were halfway there when _Rico Suave_ , as Lois dubbed him in her mind, placed a hand on Callie's shoulder and leaned in to say something. Callie smirked and then quickly hooked the arm and in a flash had him pinned face first into the bed of the truck, his arm stretched behind his back, pushing him further into the truck.

Lois and Clark both stopped in their tracks.

"Wow." Lois commented, enchanted by the swiftness that Callie had. Recovering she said, "See, Smallville," she said, swatting him in the stomach, " _And you were worried_."

She saw him roll his eyes and she couldn't help but feel proud at Callie's actions. She let the guy up and he scurried away, Callie waving to his back as he left. Lois shook her head in amusement, but the smile on her face soon fell.

' _That move she did was eerily familiar.'_

Lois racked her brain for it when certain memories flew to the forefront. She could remember her father teaching her self-defense moves when she was in the eighth grade. He told her that if a boy ever got too close to her that there were a few choice moves she could perform. If the guy placed his arm anywhere on your body, the move was to lift it off the body, swing it to the back of the offender and then apply pressure to the arm and fingers to induce pain.

She knew that Callie could have learned that anywhere, but the way she performed it and how she looked doing it almost was like…

' _Okay, Lane, stop right. I think those head injuries are finally catching up to you.'_

Callie looked up and saw the both of them standing there staring at her. She smiled sheepishly and waved.

"Hey Clark, didn't Mrs. Johnson say she was sending someone over to help with the crates?" Lois asked.

Clark's eyes moved like a pinball machine from Callie, to her, then behind him to the tents. He sighed and let his head fall. "I'll be right back."

She watched Clark jog back to the tents and snorted as she imagined Clark trying to explain what had just happened to Mrs. Johnson. She turned her eyes back in front of her and then walked towards Callie.

"Where's he going?" Callie asked staring in the direction Clark ran in.

"Probably best you don't know."

"You know by you saying that it only makes me want to know more."

She was right. Lois knew that whenever she was told that it only made her more curious as to what was actually going on.

"How about I'll tell you later?"

Callie nodded then smiled widely at her. "You see what I did to that guy?"

"Did _I_ ever!" Lois said, pulling Callie away from the truck and into the festivities.

~/~

Lois and Callie walked arm and arm through the bustle of the festival. Blue and red tents adorned the green pasture. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy filled the air. The sound of music surrounded the area, playing from speakers mounted high above them. There was a small carousel spinning in the middle of the merriment, as the public smiled, laughed, and engaged in eating, browsing, and games.

It was an atmosphere like this that Callie could lose herself in. It was dangerous. Dangerous because it wasn't different at all. Sure the people had changed and many of the activities, too, but the spirit of the event, the joy that was exuded by everyone there, that was not different in the least. If she closed her eyes, and just listened to the voices, her parents included, it was like she never left her home, and that scared her. She was too used to some things already in this past world. She knew she was trying to just stay comfortable in some way, until her ticket home arrived, but now she felt selfish in thinking about having fun.

' _And what are you going to do, sit around and brood all day?_ '

Suddenly, she felt Lois stop beside her and realized they were standing behind rows of chairs filled with people in front of a stage. Some guy and girl were singing a horrible rendition of "I Got You Babe". Both women winced as the couple on the stage sang way off-key.

"Wow." Lois said.

"Yeah." Callie replied.

But even though these two people weren't destined to have a hit record anytime soon, it was lovely to see in a way. They held each other's hand and looked into each other's eyes, and just had the time of their lives singing to each other as if there wasn't a crowd of people watching them. At the end of the performance they closed the gap between them and kissed as the crowd hollered, clapped, and whistled.

"What's the goofy grin for?" Lois asked.

Callie looked at her and shrugged, "That was kind of nice. You know, the way they were with each other up there."

"I guess so."

"I like that. Just letting go and forgetting the world around you."

Lois shifted her lips to the left side of her face, then looked to the stage and then to Callie. "So then, why don't we?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why don't we let go?"

"No, you see, I was talking about that in theory and the satisfaction of watching other people do it."

Lois grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the side of the stage where a line of people were hovering around a book, writing down the songs they wished to sing.

"Callie, just relax, you aren't going to do it alone. You have with you a very skilled karaoke singer."

Callie mulled over the " _skilled karaoke singer_ " part and let out a laugh. She should have known that this would happen. Put her mother and a karaoke machine in the same vicinity and it's only a matter of time before the monster ballads were pumped out.

"Are you sure that is okay?"

Callie then cringed after the words flowed out of her. She didn't know why, but she felt like she needed permission. Any admission of approval would be enough for her and ease her mind a bit.

"Of course it is. Look, I know that sometimes it seems like things in our lives are at a low point and you feel like you shouldn't let yourself have any piece of joy. I've been there, too, but you also have to think about it another way. Sometimes we need this. It's not bad to want to escape for a little while and I'm sure that whatever is going on that you feel bad about, there are people out there who want you to be happy."

"How do you do it?" Callie asked, astonished.

"Do what?"

"Know exactly what to say with, like, the most minimal information?"

Lois smiled. "Well, I _am_ Lois Lane."

Callie felt a wide grin across her face. "Yes, you are."

Seeing it first hand, she could completely see one of the reasons why her father had fallen so in love with her mother. The fact that even though she may not have all the information, somehow, someway, she could still know exactly what to say and make you feel a thousand times better.

"I'm just going to go check the competition. Be right back." Lois said as she left the line.

Callie watched her walk around for a few seconds, then strike up conversation with a few people. One woman pointed to a book on the table at the beginning of the line. Lois talked to another woman with dark hair but the look on her face wasn't happy. She then came back to Callie and stood next to her. As the line moved up, Lois tugged Callie closer and huddled them both down.

"Okay, here's what I found out," she whispered, "Now I heard that if you do well enough there _is_ a prize involved. You see that girl over there, the one who looks like Wednesday Adams and Vanilla Ice had a love child together," Callie stretched her head and spotted the girl and nodded, "well she's going for Whitney Houston which, I can tell you right now, is going to go _very_ badly, even though she thinks she's God's gift to the microphone at this moment. Now the couple to the right," Callie again looked and spotted them, "they're going the Disney route and doing the love song from Aladdin. I'm thinking if we strategize we can win the prize."

"Strategize and win the prize?"

"Okay, so it _rhymes_ , move on and think of a song."

Callie tilted her head to the side and suppressed a grin. Lois narrowed her eyes and then smiled playfully.

"Do we even know what the prize is?" Callie asked.

"No, but I want it."

' _Should have known that was coming.'_

As they got to the front of the line Lois quickly grabbed the song book and protected it from anyone else's view at all costs. She flipped though it rolling her eyes, saying " _Pffft, no_ " every other second, and biting her bottom lip.

"Ah ha! Got it." She said as she shut the book.

"Okay, are you going to clue me in?"

"Renegade." She said cheerfully.

" _Renegade_?"

"Trust me. We're going to own this." She said, determined.

"Oh, I trust you. Believe me, there is no doubt in this corner." She said reassuringly. "So how do we divvy this?"

~/~

Clark was glad he was able to smooth over what happened. Mrs. Johnson actually told that the boy, Jason, probably deserved what happened to him. It seemed Jason had a habit of coming onto girls only to be turned down in various ways and Callie's choice method hadn't been the first time that had happened to him. He still apologized and then had to explain who exactly Callie was. He had been quick on his feet enough to lie which always put a knot in his stomach.

As he walked back over to the truck he saw that there was no sign of Lois or Callie. As he surveyed the area he saw that large groups of people were all moving in one direction. As he followed them he realized he was heading to the stage.

' _Hopefully Lois and Callie are around here….'_

"Thank you, Melinda. I will always love you, too." The emcee said and the crowd laughed. As he pulled out a card he pulled the microphone back to his mouth and said, "Now to sing the all time classic _Renegade_ by Styx, is Lois Lane and Callie Kent!"

The crowd cheered but Clark was frozen. The only reaction he had was his eyes bugging out of his head as he saw Lois and Callie enter the stage and move toward the monitor. Two stagehands brought them microphones and typed into the keyboard just below the stage.

Lois started, singing gently into the microphone as the music began. Callie then stepped up beside reading off the screen and singing the next lyric. They then sang together and the crowd hung onto every word they sang. Clark didn't know how to explain it but it almost felt like the harmony of their voices was putting him into a trance. He moved closer to the stage as he heard the song speed up.

Callie smiled when she spotted him and moved closer to the edge of the stage singing, "The jig is up, the news is out, they finally found me…"

Lois followed her, "The renegade who had it made, retrieved for a bounty. Never more to go astray…"

Callie finished, "This'll be the end today of a wanted man."

The crowd was really getting into the song. He could see them moving in the seats, some actually standing up and swaying to the music. Even he had to admit they were really good. They were both so natural on the stage.

He could tell that Lois and Callie were just having the time of their lives up there. As the song reached a guitar solo he watched the two of them dancing together doing wacky dance moves, some of which were encouraged by the crowd. He heard a man call out "Sprinkler" and he saw Callie put her fisted left hand to her head, creating a triangle with her arm, and with her right arm, her hand gripping the microphone, imitated a sprinkler. Clark smiled and laughed as he watched her.

As the solo ended, Lois and Callie ended their dance moves and moved back to the center of the stage. The both looked at the screen before them, obviously waiting for the lyrics to reappear.

When the song played its familiar beat, they moved their microphone simultaneously to their mouths and belted out, "Oh Mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law. Hangman is coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long."

They sang the chorus again, switching off between the both of them. Then Clark could hear the melody change and slow down. He watched as Callie and Lois linked arms and prepared for the song to end. They sang together and finished, fists pumping into the air.

The entire crowd stood and applauded loudly, Clark being one of them. Clark's smile widened at the reception. He was proud.

Lois stood on the edge of the stage, her left hand still gripping the microphone, but both hands were planted firmly on her hips.

"I could get used to this." She said.

Callie laughed and nodded in response. They both dropped their microphone by the screen and hopped off the stage. Clark moved past some of the crowd in order to greet them.

"I must say the two of you put on quite a show."

"I'm surprised they weren't screaming for an encore." Lois said, looking up to the sky and placing her hand on her chest.

"Well, I think after a reaction like that that we have our winners!" The emcee said. "Thank you for listening, everyone. Another contest will be held here at four o' clock. Don't miss it and enjoy the rest of the Smallville Harvest Festival!"

As the judges came over and handed them the envelope, Lois went over to who Clark guessed was one of the contestants, shook it in front of her face, and said, "Who's sorry now, _be-yotch_!"

"Lois!" Clark exclaimed.

"What? She was flaunting her _professional skills_ at us earlier. She deserved it." She said on her way back.

Joyfully, Lois ripped open the envelope, wiggling her fingers as she pulled out two tickets to the Starlight Drive-In Theater in Paola.

"Seriously? _This_ is the prize?" Lois asked.

"Hey, you wanted to win." Callie said.

"True. And I do like movies, so, I guess it isn't all bad." She sighed.

"My parents used to go that drive-in in Paola all the time. They always said it was nice to just sit in the truck and watch a movie. I never went with them but they said it was fun."

"You've never been?" Lois asked.

"No, I always wanted to, though. They always made it sound really enjoyable."

"Well, then I guess it's lucky we won these, huh, Smallville?"

The way she looked at him took his breath away. They had been tip-toeing all day. He would take an inch, then she would take an inch, and neither of them called each other on it.

"Guess so." He smiled.

She smiled back at him and he saw this spectacular sparkle hit her eyes. He was in so deep and falling deeper.

"So, now that Callie and I have aced the talent portion of this shindig, what's your talent Smallville, other than baling hay?"

"Talent? I have to have a talent now?" Clark asked as they began walking through the festival.

"If you want to stay with the cool kids." She smirked.

"Clark has a lot of talents." Callie said, piping into the conversation.

"Like what?" Lois asked.

Clark watched as Callie looked around and pointed to the red and white striped tents. "Like, playing those games and winning the stuffed animals. Right, Clark?"

He simply shrugged. He watched as Lois looked at him strangely, again biting her lip, and said, "I bet you are…" she shook her head and then said, "I mean, you know, since you played a sport and stuff."

" _Right_." He said.

"Okay, so let's see what you got." She said as she marched in front of them.

"You better win her something good." Callie said with a wink.

Clark let out a deep breath, feeling the slight pressure of winning Lois something, and then began to follow them.

~/~

Callie watched as Clark sunk five baskets in a row, amazing the bystanders passing by and the teenage boy manning the booth. Lots of colorful prizes were strung all along the walls. Lois was able to choose a large prize or two medium sized ones. She ultimately decided against the only large prize, a giant frog holding a heart, and instead picked the white stuffed chicken and a stuffed Elmo.

Turning to Callie she handed her the Elmo one and said, "This is for you."

"You don't have to give this to me."

"I know, but I want to. After you got so excited for that one drink we saw at the store the other day you should have your very own stuffed Elmo."

' _One day, the prize will be a Baby Yoda._ ' She thought, staring at it.

"Thanks." Callie said, holding it to her chest. "This has been one of the greatest days, if not the greatest day, since I've been here and it's because of you two. So, thanks again."

Clark and Lois both smiled at her. "You're welcome." Clark said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"So, what now Smallville?" Lois said.

Clark removed his hand and replied, "I don't know. What do you guys want to do?"

Callie looked at the both of them intensely. They had been flirting with each other all day. Not that she minded it, because she welcomed it, a return to normalcy where she was concerned she guessed, but it was just another dangerous thing. This whole day had been a dream come true so far, she wasn't lying when she just said it was one of the greatest days she had experienced while being stuck in the past. She was at the festival she loved, with the people she loved, but even though she was allowing herself some fun after gaining the permission she thought she needed, she still felt guilty. She wanted to enjoy this with _her_ set of parents, the older version of the ones with her at the moment, and with her little brother.

She wandered a little from Lois and Clark, collecting her thoughts, and ended up by a turquoise and white metal booth. As she started to inspect it she saw the word " _Photos_ " written on its upper left corner.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It's a photobooth. Haven't you ever been in one before?" Lois said coming up behind her.

"That's what this is?" She looked to Lois then back to the booth. "They just look _different_ where I'm from."

"Really?"

Callie nodded.

Turning to Clark, Lois pushed her stuffed animal and Callie's, after grabbing it from her, into his chest, "Hold these, Smallville." She turned to Callie and said, "Well, come on," as she pulled her behind the curtain.

The space was a little snug, a small screen in front of them and a bench behind them. Lois sat down and closed the curtain.

"We're going to use it?" Callie asked.

"No, we're just going to sit here. Yes, we're going to use it." She said, digging into her bag for some bills.

Callie rolled her eyes at the comment. ' _That such a Mom thing to say,_ ' she thought.

"A-ha! Found it!" Lois said, pulling out a few singles and feeding it to the machine. The screen went to the main menu and they picked out what border they wanted, simple white, and chose not to do any ridiculous cartoon pictures in the photo with them. They scooted closer together on the bench as the screen switched to a countdown. They could see themselves behind the counting numbers and posed cheek to cheek for the first shot.

A flash went off and a still of them was on the screen.

"Nice. Now, for the funny poses." Lois said.

Callie smiled and laughed, then put her attention forward. The screen yet again started to countdown. In the second shot both of their tongues were sticking out with their hands flying everywhere.

They switched positions for the third photo, posing while laughing. Then as the countdown began for the last photo, Lois moved the curtain and said, "Get in here, Smallville."

Lois moved quickly, maneuvering Clark behind them, placing all the stuff on the ground. He sat on the bench while Lois sat on his left knee while Callie situated herself on the other knee. They moved their heads trying to fit everyone on the screen then posed before the countdown was over.

The bulb flashed and the screen showed the picture of the three of them. Callie's heart stopped. There they were, the three of them smiling together in a pseudo-family portrait. She knew she needed to find her home, she knew she would do almost anything in order to get back, but she was grateful that for however long she was stuck in the past she had these two people with her.

The screen then changed and thanked them for using the booth. As they exited, the photos dropped out in a little slot and Callie snatched them up, looking at each one closely.

' _No, thank you_.' She thought.

"So, how did they come out?" Lois asked, stumbling out with her bag and the stuffed animals.

"Great. They came out great."

Callie handed her the photos then turned back to the crowds behind them. As the people moved about she noticed a dark figure standing in the center. It was **her.**

Without knowing it she was in pursuit. She ran into the center of the crowd, drowning in the mass of people. She could have been seeing things, sure, but for some reason she knew it wasn't a delusion. The woman in black was there, watching her and Callie was going to find her and get some answers.

~/~

Clark looked over Lois' shoulder and looked at the pictures. The two of them looked beautiful in every one. Before he could get to the last one, with the three of them, he looked up and saw that Callie was missing.

"Where did Callie go?" He asked.

"I don't know, she was right here."

Looking around the surrounding area he couldn't spot her in the crowd. Suddenly, Clark could feel something in the pit of his stomach turn.

"I don't see her around."

"I'm sure she's fine, Clark." Lois said as she reached down and squeezed his hand.

The tension he was feeling was subdued somewhat and he couldn't believe that Lois had that kind of power over him. Twice today she had somehow managed to calm him down all with a touch. And she was right, Callie could handle herself as was proven earlier in the day. She was fine. Everything was okay.

" _Kal-El."_

It was the faintest whisper, but his super-hearing had picked it up. Someone had said his kryptonian name. He turned around to try and spot the owner of the voice. He looked beyond the crowd and in between the two furthest tents. The figure stood firm and straight, hands behind their back and a smirk on their face.

' _Zod.'_ He thought.

Taking a quick glance to Lois and making sure no one was looking he dashed through the festival, but once he made it to his destination no one was there. It could have been his mind playing tricks on him, especially since Zod was on his brain from the call he had gotten from Chloe the day before, but he couldn't take any chances. Pulling out his cell phone, he phoned in the sighting to Watchtower.

~/~

Lois looked behind her and realized that now Clark was gone.

"What the-?" She began but cut herself off.

' _He's probably off saving the world again.'_

After that thought, Lois smiled wide. Clark did so many great things and while it was hard for her to not just scream at him that she knew his secret she didn't because she knew how hard it must be for him to lie to her every day. Even though she wasn't the most patient person in the world she knew she could be for Clark for some reason. She would support him and wait until he was ready to tell her.

Moving forward, she walked past a few tents, scanning the throng of people for Callie, but since her attention wasn't focused in front of her she almost tripped over a tiny easel board.

"That could have been embarrassing. Way to be observant, Lane" She said to herself.

"Maybe the universe is trying to tell you something."

Lois turned to see a woman with long black hair, a red jewel hanging in the middle of her forehead, and wearing a royal blue robe standing at the entrance of a blue tent.

"And what is the universe trying to tell me?"

"That you have to have your fortune told today, of course. Why don't you come in." The woman said, lifting the blue cloth up.

"I don't know." Lois said.

"It's on the house."

"I guess I can't pass up a free reading now can I?" Lois said walking into the tent.  
The woman walked in behind her, letting the cloth fall back to the ground.

"My name is Madame Savita."

"Madame Savita? So, what are you going to tell me that I don't already know?"

"I guess we'll find out. Have a seat, _Lois_."

Lois narrowed her eyes at the psychic. ' _Oh, it's the 'I already know your name' game. Quack.'_

"You don't seem surprised that I knew your name." Savita said as she studied Lois' face.

Lois rolled her eyes, "Yeah well, when your name, sometimes with a picture, is plastered on the front page one of the biggest newspapers in the country, you tend to not be surprised when _everybody knows your name_."

"That might be true," The psychic said turning around and lighting some candles. She continued, "that is, if I read the paper."

"So, what am I supposed to believe? That you used your _psychic powers_ and knew my name?" She half laughed.

Savita turned back around and smiled, "Oh, I know more than your name."

Lois sat down in the seat in front of the table ready for a challenge. "Prove it."

The psychic sat down on the opposite side and pulled out her materials, which included a deck of tarot cards.

"I'm just going to tell you that I've met with your _psychic friends network_ before, and let me just say, not a satisfied customer."

Savita shuffled the deck of cards in her hands, "Oh, you mean because you haven't met your _cross-dressing pilot_ yet?"

Lois' eyes snapped up, "How did you—?"

The psychic simply smiled, "All in due time, Miss Lane. Sometimes the future just doesn't plop down on our doorstep." She placed a few cards down in front of her and shifted her gaze, "Or maybe it does."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Lois looked down and read the cards upside down. One said, " _Judgment_ " another, " _The Lovers_ " and the last " _Tower_ ".

Savita spread the cards on the table and glanced over them once more. "You're conflicted."

Lois scoffed, unimpressed. "Who isn't?"

The psychic shook her head, "No, this is a different kind of confliction. The eyes are blind to what the mind cannot see."

"And what, pray tell, am I blind to?"

"If you look deep inside yourself, your mind can be open to all of life's possibilities. As a result your eyes will be open as well."

"Seriously, quit with the mumbo jumbo! Can't you just come out and say whatever it is you're trying to say?" Lois asked frustrated.

"All that you want to know, is staring at you in the face. A picture says a thousand words."

She then picked up the _Tower_ card and stared at it for a few seconds before placing it back down on the table and sliding it Lois.

" Like this one. This card is very important."

Lois looked at and saw just what the card's text said, a tower.

"A tower is important? Am I going to be thrown off of one or something?"

"This isn't about a building, it's about false structures, false institutions, false beliefs that are going to come tumbling down, suddenly, _violently_ and all at once."

' _But I already know about Clark.'_

"Yeah, you see, I already found out something false recently, so I think it's time for a new deck."

"You may not know it yet, but something else in your life is false. You are about to get a very rude awakening, but I will assure you, it will be for the best."

She then slid ' _The Lovers'_ card to Lois.

"Now onto some good news."

Lois swallowed when she saw the card. All day she and Clark were making gestures, little touches here and there, holding hands. They were testing the waters to see what action would make the other run first but neither of them pulled back or were jumpy with each other.

"You've found your other half, something you've been yearning for. A soulmate. You need to trust your instincts, especially when love is concerned."

"Oh yeah?"

"The one you love, he's important isn't he? But not just to you, to a lot of people."

"He's important to the world."

Just then Lois was reminded of her past relationship with Oliver. He had a higher calling, too; Hell, Clark and he were probably in on the hero thing together, which she would yell at Ollie for later. Though, the same things still applied. She might still be left behind because of it.

"But you don't need to worry. He chooses love as well as his destiny."

"He does?" She said hopefully.

The psychic nodded, causing her jewel to sway on her forehead. "And let me just tell you," as she lifted ' _The Lovers'_ card, she smirked and raised her eyebrows saying "the intimacy part of your relationship will be very _pleasurable_."

Lois felt her face heating up and she cleared her throat. That's all she needed now, to be having sudden day-dreams about intimate and _pleasurable_ moments with Clark Kent.

The women then shuffled the deck and slid the cards in front of her on the table again. Turning them over slowly she said, "Interesting. I see you entwined with other major astrological signs. Earth, Fire, Water, Air….a complete unit."

"Earth, Fire, Water… Let me guess, in the future, they're powers combine and Captain Planet shows up?"

Savita leaned forward and said, "I know you don't want to believe in this and that's your right, but what I'm telling you _is_ true. Your life will not be easy, Lois Lane, there will be numerous bumps along the way, but the most important thing I see for your future are happiness and family." She leaned back into her chair and said, "Take that as you will."

Lois nodded and got up from her chair and headed for the exit.

"Oh, and Lois?" The psychic called out. Lois turned around and looked at her. "Listen to your heart."

"Yeah, will do. Thanks, _Roxette_."

Lois walked out of the tent, her mind still reeling from everything the woman had just told her and almost walked right into Clark.

"Hey, where were you?" He asked.

Lois rolled her eyes at his question. "Wasting my time apparently. Wait, where were _you_? Did you find Callie?"

"No." He said, defeated.

Lois looked down, feeling like she was missing something, and realized she had left her bag and stuffed animals back in the tent.

"Damn, I left my purse and that thing you won me and Callie in the tent."

"Which one? I'll go get it."

Lois stopped, embarrassed to tell him where she was. "No, Smallville, that's okay."

"Lois? Why can't you just tell me what tent you were in?"

"Because…"

Clark raised his eyebrows in anticipation.

" _Because…"_

"Still waiting."

"Alright, fine! I was with a psychic. Are you happy now?"

"Psychic?"

"Yes, a psychic. Laugh, make fun of me."

"What did she say?" He asked in a serious tone.

Lois looked at him curiously. She then smirked and said, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Clark rolled his eyes and moved away from her.

"Where are you going?"

"To get your stuff back."

Lois closed her eyes and shook her head. When she reopened them to protest, he was gone, again.

~/~

Clark moved the blue flap of the entrance up and walked inside. Spotting Lois' bag, stuffed chicken, and Callie's Elmo by the chair he scooped it up and placed them under his shoulder. On his way out he heard a voice say, "Leaving so soon?"

He turned to see a woman wearing a flowing blue robe, her dark black hair straight over her shoulders, and a jewel hanging in the middle of her forehead. "Sit," she instructed her.

"That's okay." He said. "I was just coming in to grab this for my friend. She left it behind."

" _Friend_?" the psychic asked with a raised eyebrow.

Clark nodded.

She spread the cards across the table and pulled one out, setting it in the middle of the midnight blue tablecloth.

"The Star." She read to him. "It's the most beautiful card. It suggests peace and harmony, but, whatever hope, healing, or future it offers, it won't be immediate."

"I—I don't understand."

"Sit, and I'll tell you… _Clark_."

Clark froze in his stop then slowly walked over to the chair. "How did you know my name?"

"I'm a psychic, remember?" She smiled. "I must say though, I'm glad I haven't lost my touch. I told Lois that I knew her name too, but she brushed it off."

Clark grinned at the mention of Lois. "Well, that's Lois for you."

The psychic held up the Star card and said, "This card is a sign of tomorrow. It is a card that predicts unexpected help, but that help is only the first step. The star only reveals some of the future. It is up to you to find your way to that future."

He looked at the card confused and then back up to the psychic's face. She must have sensed this, he figured, when she placed the card down and looked at him.

"You're worried about the future. About what the future holds for you, _who_ it holds for you." Clark went to say something but closed his mouth and listened instead. She continued, "You will find your way, Clark, but she can't tell you what it is. You have to trust. She is your first step. The rest is up to you."

"Who's she?" he asked, but inside he already knew.

"I think you know. The star reveals the future and she _is_ the star."

Pulling two other cards from the deck she turned them over to reveal " _King of Cups_ " and " _The Lovers._ "

"Interesting."

"What?"

She pointed to the _King of Cups_ and said, "This card tells of the decision to start a new relationship, a motivation to finally approach that special someone. This is a new love, but it is a mature love, one that is determined. _Though_ , it can also indicate a man motivated to be a new and better provider, father and husband."

He flinched when she said the word ' _father_ ' and was quite fearful of what else she had to say. So far she was right on the money and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know anymore.

"I can see you have a kind, gentle, loving heart, Clark, and because of that I see a rich future for you. The protector of kingdoms universally, global, and at home. The one coming first, of course, being your family."

"Family?"

She smiled and all she said was, "What you dream will come true." She then moved to the next card, ' _The Lovers'_.

"I don't think I have to really explain this one, now do I, Clark?" She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows. "You need to trust your instincts, to choose this challenge, person, you're so strongly drawn to, no matter how scary, how difficult or troublesome because without it, you will never be wholly you."

She then turned the card and looked at it. He could see a mischievous look in her eyes. "You know, I just pulled this card not too long ago…" she trailed off. "For you, I see that the part of your past relationships you've been weary of, it doesn't apply here. On top of everything I've told you, this mature love will be rewarding to you on many levels, _very_ rewarding."

Clark cleared his throat and smiled slightly, trying not to let his mind go where it desperately wanted to go. Clutching Lois' purse in his lap, he pushed himself to his feet and said, "Thank you, for… _this_ , but I really need to go. How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing. What you will achieve in the future is payment enough."

He sighed. Yet another cryptic allusion to his future. He was really getting tired of those. Nodding at her, he pushed back the curtain to the entrance of the tent. As he walked out he scanned the crowd looking for Callie again, looking for Zod again, but he didn't spot either. Who he did spot, though, was Lois right where he left her.

"I got your stuff." He called out, but slightly averting his eyes from looking directly at her.

She turned around and snatched it from him. "What took you so long?"

"No reason, just got this then started looking for Callie again."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "She told you your fortune didn't she?"

"No." He said quickly.

"Oh, _come on_. What did she say?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." He smirked, giving her the same reply she had given him.

"She was a stupid psychic anyway. I mean what does she know?" Lois said with a shrug, but Clark could tell she was just trying to convince herself.

"The future." He whispered in reply.

"Right, the future." Lois repeated flatly.

~/~

Callie had followed the image but saw no one. She stood there for a few moments surveying the ground. She knew she had run off again but this was important and what she thought was a valid excuse. She circled the grounds a few times and even tried the aerial view approach as well. If she did indeed see the woman in black, then it seemed as if she had disappeared into thin air.

Walking in between two tents she saw a woman standing beside one, staring at her. The woman had curly hair, was heavy set and was wearing a large black robe.

"Would you like your fortune told?"

"No thanks. Already know the future." She said and kept walking.

"Not even if this fortune could send a lost soul like yourself back home."

Callie stopped and looked at the woman. "What makes you think I'm not already home?"

"Because I can clearly see you don't belong here. Now do you?"

Folding her arms over her chest she said, "Okay, you have my attention."

"Then follow me." She said as she used her hand to guide Callie to the tent.

As she walked inside, Callie saw a large round table with a green velvet cloth over it, a candle in the middle with a deck of cards. As the woman sat down behind the table, Callie sat down in the chair across from her.

"Open your hand, what do you see?" She asked.

"Uh, my hand?" Callie said as she looked down at her open palm.

"No, what you see is nothing. Emptiness. That's what you're feeling, right? Empty? Like something is missing?"

Callie closed her hand and pulled it back toward her.

"Not really. I mean, not completely."

"I can see in your eyes your frustration," she then slightly smiled and said, "your fear."

"Fear? You can see my fear?" Callie asked in disbelief.

She nodded and asked, "What do you most fear?"

"Oh, I don't fear anything. Tragically, I was born without the fear gene."

"Is that right?"

Callie nodded.

The psychic then pulled the deck of cards to her and shuffled them. She fanned them on the surface of the table and looked at Callie. She picked one card up and handed it to her.

"Here, this is for you."

She handed Callie a card. Reading it she saw a bunch of swords. She looked at the bolded words which read, **Nine of Swords**.

"You know, Callie, sometimes we think we fear certain things, or don't in your case, but you need to look deeper."

Clutching the card in her left and reaching for her necklace through her shirt with the other, she said, "How did you know my name?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

Suddenly the psychic opened her palm and with a hard blow of her breath Callie was surrounded by green dust. Instinctively she closed her eyes and began to cough as the dust went up her nose. After a few seconds she opened her eyes back up and saw that no one was in front of her. She turned around in her chair and didn't see anyone there either. She was alone.

Gripping the sides of the chair she pushed herself to her feet. She turned toward the entrance and headed through it, coughing as some of the dust particles still lingered in the air.

"What the hell was that? Was she a psychic or a fairy with that pixie dust?"

Letting out a breath she walked a few steps further until the scenery around her started to spin. She grabbed onto a pole beside her, to try and steady herself, but the world around her only began to move faster and faster. She held onto the pole tighter and could feel the cold metal beneath her fingers bend at her strength. Her breathing started to quicken as her body felt like it was burning up. However, she pushed herself forward taking each step at a time. She made it to the alleyway made by the tents and could hear the voices of the crowds of people at the festival. The volume of their voices increased louder and louder. Placing her hands to her ears to try and stop the noise, Callie lost her balance and lost her battle to stay conscious as she fell onto the grass.

~/~

Clark looked all around him, beyond the tents, the booths, and the people trying to find where Callie had gone. Suddenly he saw a silhouette through the fabric of the tent, staggering as it moved. His stomach clenched as the shadow moved out into the open. He saw her, for a moment she was just standing there and the next her face slack of emotion as her body fell to the ground.

Dashing toward Callie's body he didn't even realize that Lois had been right behind him.  
Lois crouched down by Callie's, the same as he was doing, and asked panicked, "What happened?"

"I don't know. Callie? Callie, can you hear me?"

Her eyes opened slightly then closed again. After a few seconds her eyes opened again, but she seemed to be blinking a lot, almost like she was trying to regain her vision.

"Callie, what happened?" Lois asked.

Now there was a small crowd around them and someone asked Clark if they should call 911.

"No." Callie said as Clark helped her up. "I have…um…hypoglycemia. It's a blood sugar thing, get me a maple donut and I'll be a-okay." She turned to him and said, "Really, I'm fine."

He wasn't assured one bit and held onto her tightly. "Come on, we're going home."

She had been sick the day before so that had to be why this was happening. He should have known better to bring her out, but in his defense, she did seem like she had been fine.  
As the three of them made it to the truck, Lois opened the back door for him and then gently got Callie inside who was protesting the entire time. While she _was_ alert, he could tell that she was very drained.

Moving around the vehicle, he got into the driver's seat while Lois got into the passenger's seat and put her seatbelt on. The keys were in the ignition and before they knew it Clark was already on the road back to the farm.

Lois had always joked that he obeyed the speed limit too much and drove too slow, which to a certain point was true, but in that moment Clark had never driven so fast in his life.

~/~

Lois held the door open as Clark carried Callie into the house. Walking straight into the living room, he gently placed her on the couch.

"I'm fine." Callie protested weakly.

"Callie, don't even argue. I shouldn't have let you come out. You were just sick and I…"

"That has nothing to do with it…"

"I don't care. Stay right here. I'm going to set up the bedroom and you're going to stay up there."

"But—."

"No buts, just stay." Clark said as head toward the stairs and up to the second level.

" _Damn psychic."_ She mumbled.

Lois realized she was still grasping Callie's things tightly and walked gingerly in the kitchen, placing them on the island, trying to calm herself down. The pictures they had taken in the photo booth slipped out of one of the bags and fell to the floor. Lois bent down and picked it up. She walked over to the refrigerator, took a magnet off the front, and tacked it up next to a photo of Clark with his parents.

She opened the fridge and brought out the little juice boxes that she had for Callie sitting in there, deciding that since Callie had felt warm, a cool drink should be good for her. Placing the package on the island she shut the door, once again glancing at the strip of photos. The smile she had from them then fell as she did a double take of the last photo on the strip. She and Callie were on either side of Clark, their heads only mere inches apart so they could all fit in the picture.

She slowly moved forward ripping the strip from under the magnet she had just placed above it. She looked more closely at all the photos. She looked from herself to Callie then back again. Then down to the last photo with Clark there. Her mouth opened and her eyes started to dry for staring too long.

' _Holy crap_ ,' was all she could think.

The strange behavior, the way that actions and thoughts were mimicked, Callie looking for her prior to her return, the dedication to make Clark himself again, her appearance sans cuts and bruises after Metallo attacked her, the bits and pieces of words she had heard while unconscious in the hospital, the odd looks and distant stares—the talk they had about her missing her home, her parents, her **mother** …

" _Sometimes I feel like she's right here with me."_

"Oh my god." She whispered.

' _That's what was missing.'_

Whipping her head around she went to look at Callie, to _really_ look at her, only to get another surprise: she was gone.

\Ƨ/

Callie groaned, her head still pounding in her skull. She shifted her body and immediately noticed the difference: she wasn't on the couch anymore.

' _I must have been so out of it I didn't realize that he moved me already,'_ she thought.

Pushing the covers away from her slightly, she felt a familiar hand of her forehead. The hand then moved away and before she could even think to who the hand belonged to it was all but confirmed when she heard a voice say, "Well, it looks like your fever went down."

Suddenly her body was stiff. She knew that voice. She knew it exactly. It was the same as she remembered it before she left. It was her Mom. Not the 2009 version, but her version, the 2032 version.

"Mom?" she croaked out.

"I'm here, it's okay." Her voice soothed.

"What happened?" She asked, finally opening her eyes and looking around. She expected to see her room at the farm, but through the darkness she could tell that the place was foreign. Trying to get up to get a better look, the weakness in her body prevented her from doing so. "Where am I?"

"You're home."

' _Home?'_ she thought.

The mere mention of this place, that she had no recollection of, being her home was enough to motivate her to fight her body to sit up. She balanced herself on her hands as her arms erected up, allowing her to scan the room better, even though it was still very dark. Pushing the covers off fully, her mother moved from the edge of the bed she was sitting on and moved the curtains from the double doors at the opposite side of the room, letting the moonlight shine in.

' _Has the moon always been that gigantic?'_ she thought.

As her eyes adjusted to the light coming at her she looked to get a better vision of her mother, only to be distracted by the glimmer of something shining from her left hand.

"Did I fall asleep and miss the part where we won the lottery? When did Dad get you _that_?"

" _Dad_?" Her mother asked, confused.

"Yeah, Dad. Over six feet tall, dark hair, glasses, answers to the names Dad, Clark or Smallville."

"Honey, I think you should lie back down." Her mother said as she gently grabbed her arm.

Callie definitely did not like the tone of voice or the feelings that were bubbling in her gut. She broke away from her mother's grasp and took a few steps back.

"Where's Dad?" She demanded.

Her mother avoided eye contact with her, looking all around the room, from the ceiling to the floor behind her, as if searching for something. Callie turned around but saw nothing and turned her attention back.

" _Callie_ …"

"Where is Dad?"

Her mother closed her eyes then opened them back up, a defeated look in her eyes. "Callie, he's dead. He has been for the last thirteen years. Ever since Doomsday, you knew that."

Tears started to fill her eyes and the insides of her body began to tremble. She took a few steps backward again as she stared at the ground. "That's…that's not possible. No. He…He came back. He came home."

It didn't make any sense.

Her mother took a step forward, her hand reaching out to her. "Callie, we've been over this. I thought your time at Belle Reeve helped you get through all of that."

Callie ran her shaking hands through her hair. It was a nervous reflex but she was so numb that she couldn't even feel it. She was standing in a pool of moonlight but felt more in the dark than ever. She looked to her left and saw the double doors lead out to a balcony. Sprinting for the doors, she flung them open and looked at the skyline. Had it not been for the spinning globe atop the Daily Planet that she spotted right off the bat, it almost seemed like it wasn't Metropolis. Though, it wasn't. This wasn't her Metropolis.

She was back, in her own time she presumed, but it wasn't right. It was all wrong…all so _very_ wrong. If her father hadn't come home, if he truly was—she couldn't even fathom the thought of the next word— what else was different, how much worse could things be?

' _How did this happen?'_

Then, suddenly, only one explanation came to mind.

She took a long deep breath and said, "What have I done?"

* * *

Tarot Card meanings were from this website: tarot/learn/meanings/

The song was Renegade by Styx


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four: Fear, Itself Pt. 1

**Chapter Twenty-Four:** _**Fear, Itself Pt. 1** _

Lois felt her heart plummet into her stomach. How could she be gone? She was right there a minute ago. She had just seen Clark put her down there. All she had done was turn for a second.

' _Way to go, Lois. You find out you're a mother just two seconds ago and you've already lost her! Way to be a great mother_.' She chastised herself in thought.

Panicked, she yelled, "Clark!"

Before she knew it he was at the landing of the stairs, his eyes wide in fear.

"What? What is it?" He asked.

Lois pointed to the couch. "She's gone. I turned around for a second and… _she's gone_. _Clark_ …"

His eyes were on the couch and then scanned the rest of the living room. A bark from Shelby sent both sets of eyes to the entryway of the room. Two feet stuck out into the living room, while the body was masked behind the wall. She and Clark both ran over and saw that Callie must have tried to get the stairs herself before passing out completely.

Shelby whined as Clark lifted Callie's limp body up. Lois cupped her face and felt her forehead.

"I didn't hear her get up. I don't know how I didn't hear it." She said, shaking her head as her voice cracked with emotion.

"She can be stealthy that way." He said looking down at her. "It's not your fault."

"Clark, she feels really warm. Maybe we should have taken her to the hospital."

Without looking at her he said, "We can't."

"What do you mean we _can't_? Clark, she's sick."

"Lois, do you trust me?" He asked, finally looking at her in the eyes.

Wondering why he would even ask that she answered, "Of course I do."

"Then trust me when I say we can't take her to the hospital."

As he walked up the stairs, Lois was behind him on every step, as Shelby nudged her back trying to get in front of both of them. Clark kicked open his door and laid Callie down gently on his bed. Shelby went to the left side of the bed and pushed his nose under Callie's hand, but it drooped over the side, lifeless.

"Then what do we do?" Lois asked.

"Just because we can't take her to the hospital doesn't mean we can't bring the hospital to her." He said as he brushed some hair out of Callie's forehead.

Lois looked at him quizzically. She didn't know what he had in mind, but she trusted him. She would do anything he said. At that moment, she didn't know what was going on or why, but with Callie's life obviously at stake, she'd do whatever Clark said. She knew how much he cared about her. Whatever he was planning, it was in Callie's best interest.

' _Maybe he knows….'_

"Can you stay with her? I need to make a call." He asked as he dug in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

Lois nodded and watched as he left the room. Letting out a breath, she went to the right side of the bed and lied on it. She placed her body next to Callie's and then took Callie's hand in hers. She stared at it, almost comparing them to each other, seeing the likes and differences. She then looked at her sleeping form. Her face was anything but peaceful and Lois would have given anything to make whatever Callie was seeing go away and bring her back to reality, to bring her back to them.

She noticed the grimace on Callie's face become more pronounced and squeezed her hand tighter.

"Mom." Callie gasped out.

Shifting her body slightly she placed a kiss on her clammy forehead and rested her head lightly on top of Callie's. Lois squeezed her eyes shut and said, "It's going to be okay, Mom's here."

\Ƨ/

Callie shook her head as she peered out to the skyline. No, this was wrong. She knew that being in the past could change some things, but she knew that she hadn't changed anything big. At least she didn't think she had. It didn't matter anyway. This wasn't her world, it couldn't be. She was going to have to get to the bottom of this and do what her parents would do in this situation: investigate.

She turned around and saw her mother standing in the doorway.

"Mom." She gasped out.

Her mother walked out onto the balcony and embraced her in a hug. She kissed her forehead and said, "It's going to be okay. Mom's here."

"LOIS!" A voice roared from outside the room.

The voice was familiar but she couldn't place it for some reason.

Her mother let go of her and backed up into the room. "You stay here. I'll see what he wants."

"What _he_ wants? Who ' _he_ '?" Callie asked, but her mother was already on her way to the door.

"Mom! Mom, wait!" She called out.

The door was shut and Callie stood alone. She glanced around ' _her_ ' room again. It certainly wasn't anything she decorated herself. The walls were a light pink, with big oversized and antique looking furniture taking up most of the space.

She looked down at her outfit and saw that she was wearing just a black nightshirt and shorts. If she was going to investigate she would need to put on actual clothes.

Walking across the room she stood in front of two big white doors, which she assumed would open to the closet. Placing her hands on the handles of both doors, she opened them up and was surprised at what she saw. Black. Black everywhere. Black shirts, some plain, some with skulls, hung up next to black pants and black jackets. It was all black.

"On the brighter side, it could have been worse. It could have been all _pink_." She said to herself.

She quickly pulled down a shirt and pair of pants, changing into them. When she was done she turned to the mirror that was attached to the chest of drawers adjacent to the closet. The all black ensemble didn't look right on her. It wasn't that she hadn't ever worn black before, of course she had, but this felt different; it felt like it meant something, symbolically perhaps.

"Maybe you decided to dress for a funeral every day." She quipped.

It wasn't funny, but her body inadvertently let out a chuckle. The notion of her father being dead, for her, was hysterical. There was no way. She had lived through it all. Sure there was a funeral for Superman, but never Clark Kent. Her mother and grandmother had refused to give up hope. Three months it took for her father to come home. Three months. He hadn't been missing or "dead" for thirteen years. She knew her life, she knew who she was, and she knew this place had to be bogus.

As she was about to close the closet doors she spotted something sticking out in the lower left corner of the floor. Getting on her hands and knees she crawled into the closet and pulled back the carpet. She noticed that the carpet covered a loose plank of wood. Reaching in, she tried to pull the plank out but it wouldn't budge to her strength—or lack of strength.

She let go of the wood and stared at her hands. "What the hell? Where's my strength?"

She hadn't detected when changing before, but something cool slid down her right arm down to her wrist. Glancing to her right arm, she saw a silver bracelet adorning her wrist. Turning the bracelet around her stomach sank. In the middle of it was a small chunk of blue crystal.

"No. No, it can't be."

Spinning the bracelet around and around she tried to find the clasp to take it off, but it was so unusual, it didn't seem to have one. She pulled at it, banged her wrist against the door, and looked around, painstakingly, for something to pry the wristlet off.

She crawled back into the closet, lifting up boxes and bins trying to find something, anything. Standing up she saw a wire hanger and pulled it from the rack.

" _No…more…wire…hangers…_ " she strained, trying to untwist the hanger, which proved somewhat difficult in her current state. Finally once it was open, she hooked it around the bracelet.

Once she had the hanger looped around, she grabbed the two ends of it and held them together as tightly as she could. Then she pulled with all her strength. Her face scrunched, her teeth clenched, and she could feel her face burning up. She let out a scream when the one side of the wire hanger punctured her palm and the other side scratched the inside of her arm. Letting go, the hanger dropped to the floor, as did she.

Slumping forward into the closet, she leaned against the wall behind where all the clothes hung. She let out shallow breaths and rubbed the inside of her left arm that was scratched. The gash wasn't too deep, but it had definitely broken skin. Looking to her right she again focused on the loose plank she had uncovered.

"Oh, that's it."

Leaping toward the plank, she placed both hands on either side of it and pulled back. When it finally came loose she fell back onto her butt.

"Ugh, nice. Bruised arm, bruised ass, bruised ego; It's a winning trio." She said, rubbing her backside.

Crawling back toward the new gap in the floor, she looked down but couldn't see anything in the darkness of the closet. Extending her hand down, she felt something plush and picked it up.

"Well, look what I found down the bunny hole." She said, with tears forming in her eyes.

Clutching it to her chest, she hugged her stuffed bunny, the one she'd had since she was around five. "Boy am I glad to see you."

She squeezed it firmly and noticed she felt something hard at the stuffed animal's center. Releasing the bunny, she turned it over and found a stitched hole in its side.

"Are you packing, Bunny?" Looking over her shoulder and through the glass of the French doors to the outside, she let out a sigh and turned back to her beloved friend. "Honestly, in this world, I don't blame you if you are."

Before ripping the stitching open she said, "Sorry ole buddy, ole pal, but this might hurt a bit." Once the thread was broken apart, Callie pulled out the stuffing and inserted her hand to retrieve the object. When she had a good grip on it, she yanked it out. Looking at her hand she examined the object. It was metallic, slim, and rectangular, about the size of those USB drives she had seen in 2009. She knew exactly what it was but was perplexed at why she had it.

"A pocket scanner?"

Pressing the power button on, the screen lit up. A holographic image flashed up and automatically asked for a password.

"Password? Why would I lock a pocket scanner?" As she thought about it some more an idea popped into her head, "I would lock it if I had information that I didn't want anyone else to have."

Feeling like she was missing something else she crawled back to the gap in the floor, turning the scanner off and again, extended her hand down the hole. This time she felt something else, something more solid, like a book.

As she pulled it out, she could see that it was a binder with the edges of clippings sticking out of it. Opening the binder she immediately saw that all the clippings had one thing in common: her father, or rather his alter-ego. One in particular caught her eye, the title "Is Superman Really Dead?" viciously circled in red pen.

"I'm looking for him. That's why it's locked." She said looking down at the pocket scanner. "I'm looking for him and he's alive."

She quickly went to grab her necklace and noticed it wasn't there.

"My necklace!" She exclaimed. "What the hell?"

Hearing voices outside her door, she quickly put the scanner into her back pocket and placed the binder back into the hole in the floor. She picked up her bunny and kissed it on the nose.

"Thanks, Buns."

She lightly placed it into the hole as well, positioning the plank and carpet over it. She then pushed herself off the floor and closed the closet doors. She looked at herself in the mirror again and composed herself. Internally she made a decision. She was going to leave the confines of the room and investigate the big, bad world that was on the other side of the door. She had a plan, well somewhat of a plan, and she was going to figure all this out.

"Time to find my family and bust this joint." She said walking to the door and placing her hand on the knob.

\S/

Clark hung up the phone with Emil. He was giving him some ample time to get all the materials he needed to get together before Clark sped over there and brought him back to the farm. Staring at the phone dialed Chloe's number.

"Uh, oh. Two calls in one day on the business line. I'm guessing our friend Zod couldn't get enough of the hot dogs, popcorn, and kiddie games the festival had to offer?" Chloe said amusingly.

"Chloe, this doesn't have anything to do with Zod…at least I don't think."

"I don't quite like the sound of your voice right now. What's wrong?"

"It's Callie. She went off on her own for a little while and when we found each other again she was passed out on the ground. I brought her home to the farm, but she's not responding to us. Chloe, I don't know what to do. I've ca—called Emil but…"

"Clark, if I know anything about Callie it's that she's a fighter. Whatever is going on, she'll come out of it. If you have Emil coming, then you're already on the right track."

He hung his head low and said, "I hope so."

"Do you know what she was doing before you found her?"

"No." Clark said sadly.

"What do you need?"

"Find out if anything suspicious occurred at the same time or in the vicinity. That's all I can come up with for now. "

"You got it, but Clark, she's going to be fine. Trust me, she's a strong girl." Chloe assured.

"I know she is. Thanks, Chloe." He said as he ended the call.

Dejected, Clark walked back into the bedroom. He witnessed Lois next to Callie on the bed, her head was on Callie's, her arms holding her, protecting her.

"I called a doctor. He should be here shortly." He said, starling her a bit.

Lois nodded, but her eyes remained on Callie.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She keeps mumbling words, but I can't make them out."

He watched as Lois moved to a more comfortable position. She felt Callie's forehead again and commented, "Clark, she feels really warm. She even looks flushed, her face is turning red. I think we need to get her out of this shirt and get a cold compress. Help me?"

Clark nodded and moved over to the other side of the bed, bypassing Shelby. As they were taking the shirt off Callie suddenly let out a painful noise. They both stopped what they were doing, their hands in mid-air, and stared at her.

"Is she okay?" Lois asked, hesitantly putting her hands down.

"I don't know. I don't think it was anything we did, though."

Lois looked at him with concerned eyes and then slowly continued to take the plaid shirt off of Callie. She lifted Callie's right arm out of the sleeve, then moved and slid the shirt down the left arm. Once she discarded the shirt on the floor he heard her gasp, "Clark! Look at this!"

Clark examined Callie's arm and saw a gigantic scratch running up the inside of her arm.

"That's not possible." He said before thinking.

"What do you mean?" Lois asked.

Berating himself in his head, he quickly covered, "I mean, that shouldn't be there. It wasn't there before."

He knew he was being cryptic, but he didn't know what else to say. He couldn't explain that the fact was half Kryptonian meant her skin was invulnerable like his. To admit his secret, their secret, in that moment would cause more chaos in his eyes. Rejecting any more thoughts about that, he focused on the cut. He didn't understand it at all.

"I'll go get some bandages and the cold compress for her head." Lois said, leaping to her feet and walking past him out of the room.

As he stared at Callie he could see her mouth moving but he couldn't quite hear what she was mumbling. Tuning into his superhearing he focused on her voice.

" _Bunny hole. Bunny_."

Clark frowned. He didn't know what she was seeing in her state. He didn't comprehend why she was seeing _whatever_ it was that she was seeing. All he knew was that he wanted it to stop. He wanted her to be well again.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and took her hand into his. "We had a deal Callie. You told me that everything would be okay; that if we went to the festival you would be fine." He leaned over and brushed away some of the hair sticking to her damp forehead. She still felt very warm and could feel the perspiration on her skin. "I should have listened to my gut. If I had then none of this would have happened."

"Stop beating yourself up, Smallville."

He turned his head to see Lois looking at him sympathetically at the doorway. She slowly walked toward him, stepping over Shelby. He cast his eyes to the ground and felt the bed dip as she sat beside him. She placed the things she was carrying to the side and then put her hand on his shoulder. He turned and looked her in the eyes.

"You're not alone in this."

Lois closed her eyes and leaned in, letting her forehead leaned against his. He closed his eyes too, letting her strength flow into him. He needed her. He felt stronger when he was around her. If it wasn't for her in his room helping him deal with this situation, he didn't know how he would be reacting.

"He's still alive." Callie groaned.

Clark and Lois broke away from each other and focused their attention back on Callie. Lois reached next to her and got the medicine and bandages she had brought in from the bathroom. Moving to the other side of the bed, she leaned over from the middle, over Callie's body. She pulled Callie's arm towards her, but as she was about to apply the medicine Callie pulled back her arm and placed it in her pocket.

"Why did she do that?" Lois asked.

"I don't know." Clark said and went to retrieve Callie's arm. As he did so he noticed that there was something in her pocket. Reaching in himself, he pulled the object out and noticed it was a card of some sort.

"Lois, look at this."

"What is it?" Lois asked, climbing over Callie's body, back over to his side.

Clark held the card out for Lois to look at.

"It looks like one of those tarot cards that the psychic showed me. Now that I think about it, I could have sworn I heard Callie say ' _stupid psychic'_ when we first brought her home. Do you think she's connected to this somehow?" She asked, looking at him.

Clark peered at the card then glanced at Callie. Lois was right; he remembered seeing similar cards when he had seen the psychic. If the psychic was a part of this, he was going to get to the bottom of it.

\Ƨ/

Callie walked out into the hallway. Looking to her left and right, both directions seemed narrow and identical, with the same amount of doors parallel to each other. Sconces lit up the way, but the hall still seemed dim and gloomy. The dark hardwood floors creaked beneath her feet, the walls lined with a dark trim on the floor, white panel, and a dark red paint.

' _Blood red_.' She thought.

Looking both ways again, she couldn't seem to make a decision. As she took a deep breath she closed her eyes and let her inner senses guide her. Opening them back up, she turned her body right and began to walk.

The hallway seemed endless. There were so many doors. Even though she didn't have her superhearing, she still tried to listen to all the noises around her, hoping to hear her mother, or at the very least anyone familiar.

Finally, she couldn't go straight anymore and was forced to turn left, around the corridor. She entered what seemed to be the top of a lavish staircase; it was very large and lit up by a huge crystal chandelier. Feeling as if someone was watching her from behind, she peered over her shoulder and looked up slowly.

Gasping at what she saw, her body fully turned around and she could feel the blood drain away from her face. The painting seemed thirty feet tall. His eyes bored into her, his body stiff, with his arms crossed over his purple button down shirt and black overcoat. Obviously a powerful image to be reckoned with, she backed up slowly, her stomach churning. Now she knew where she was, understood why the atmosphere seemed too rich for her taste.

She looked up at the image again and felt nauseous. The ring on her mother's finger—it all made sense. It was him. He was the ' _he_ '. He was the familiar voice that had boomed and called her mother away. It was Lex Luthor.

Callie cupped her hand over her mouth and felt the urge to find the nearest bathroom. This world was getting worse by the minute. She thought that whoever created this place sucked, and they sucked big time!

"…and later we can play video games in my room," a voice rang from behind her.

"Really!?" a boy's voice exclaimed.

Callie whipped her head around towards the staircase and to the owner of the boy's voice. She knew that voice. She missed that voice. It was her brother's voice.

While she was ecstatic to know her brother was there with her, her blood began to boil when both figures reached the top of the stairs. If she had heat vision in that moment the whole place would be aflame, she was sure of it.

"And look who it is, my soon-to-be step-sister. So, _how_ does it feel to have flown the cuckoo's nest?"

"Junior." She spat out.

A scowl came across her face as she looked at him. He looked all smug looking at her, in his purple polo shirt, jeans, with a pair of designer sunglasses on his head.

So this was what it had come to? She had heard that Lex always wanted what he couldn't have, her father's life being one of them.

' _He's one step closer in this world._ ' She thought.

When her eyes shifted to the boy in front of her, blue T-shirt under a red hoodie, her features softened. A small smile came across her face as she breathed out, "C.J."

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"Tons better. Now, get over here, Squirt." She commanded.

He walked over and she quickly enveloped him in a hug. "I missed you so much," she said.

"Really?" He asked. She could hear the surprise in his voice and she couldn't understand why he would be surprised by that.

"Of course I missed you. What big sister doesn't miss her little brother while she's been away?"

She pulled back and looked at his face. His bright blue eyes shined right back into hers. As she looked at him, _really_ looked at him, she could see her father staring back at her. Even though she hadn't been with him, it was almost like she could feel him around her, her mother, too. She shook her head of those thoughts and focused back on C.J. and smiled at him.

"Aw, what a perfect little family moment." Junior's voice mocked, interrupting them.

She glared up at him, her smile dissipating rapidly. Alexander Luthor, Jr., a pain in her ass in any reality, she concluded.

"Hate to break this up, but me and the ' _little man'_ here have an appointment at Luthor Field." He smirked as he leaned against the wall.

Letting go of her brother, she swiftly moved and pinned Junior against the wall, her arm on his throat. That was the last straw. She was pissed.

"No one calls him ' _little man'_ except for my mother, my father, myself, or anyone I deem worthy of saying it, which doesn't include you or anyone related to you." She pressed her forearm harder, "Is that understood?"

He gasped a little for air and she let him go. He rubbed his neck and flattened out his polo shirt.

"You really are crazy. My father must have been out of his mind to appease your mother and get you released. You deserve to be in that nut house."

Turning toward her brother the light from the chandelier glared off of something on his arm. There she spotted the same bracelet on his wrist that she had on hers. Grabbing his arm she whispered, "Kryptonite."

"Did you just say ' _kryptonite_ '?" Junior asked, looking at her strangely.

She stood up and cleared her throat.

"No, get the wax out of your ears, bucko. Not that it's your business but I said I'm going to the _**crypt**_ _**tonight**_ "

"What crypt?"

"Which one do you think?" She said, hoping against hope that he would take that as an answer.

Thinking back to when she was five, she knew of one place in the cemetery that would have a "crypt" that would make sense to visit, not that she wanted to see it or be reminded of that time.

' _Too late for that.'_

Junior shook his head and said, "Good luck getting there."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, glaring at him.

"They must have really fried your brain in that place, huh? Do you really think that my dad or your mom is just going to let you walk out of here after coming home from Belle Reeve? You're still being evaluated by doctors."

' _What the hell is he talking about? This is the second Belle Reeve mention I've heard._ '

"I'm not crazy." She stated.

"Yeah, sure, says the girl who claims that her father is still alive and that her favorite hero Superman is as well, in very eccentric ways, might I add. Send both of them my condolences when you visit them at their _graves_ _._ "

Tears formed in her eyes as her hands formed fists.

Junior turned to walk down the hallway but stopped and turned around once more.

"Oh, and by the way, has anyone ever told you're hot when you're angry?" He smirked then turned back around and left the room.

"Anyone ever tell you you're a dou-?" She started, but stopped when she looked down at C.J.. She smiled nervously and cleared her throat. Composing herself, she grabbed his hand and said, "Okay, we have to find Mom. Do you know where she is?"

"Downstairs probably. Why do we need to get her? What's going on? Why did you say kryptonite before?"

"We need to get her because we're leaving." She said, leading him to the stairs. "And I'll explain everything later, I promise."

"Leaving? Where are we going? Is Dad coming, too?"

Callie stopped in the middle of the stairs and turned to him, hopeful. " _Dad_? You know where he is?"

"He's in a meeting right now."

"Meeting?" She asked, perplexed.

' _Justice League meeting? Daily Planet meeting? Those don't make sense, though. But if C.J. knows where he is then why did Mom lie to me?'_ She thought.

"Yeah, he has a meeting now then he was going to come by and watch me and Junior."

Callie knelt down and grabbed C.J. by the shoulders. "Wait, you mean, Lex? You call Lex… _Dad_?" She couldn't even say it. The nauseating feeling was starting to come back.

He let his head hang low, shrugged, and mumbled, "He said I could… _if I wanted to_."

Callie shook her head rapidly, "No. No way, no how."

She grabbed his hand again and pulled him down the stairs.

"Hey! Callie, where are we going?"

Once they reached the landing at the bottom, she looked to her left and right, not sure of where to go.

"To Lex's office," she answered. "So, lead the way."

C.J. pulled her to the right and once again she was about to head down a dim, narrow hallway. Letting the determination swell within her, she stood tall and followed her brother.

\S/

"So what do you think it means?" Lois asked.

Clark stared at the card intently. "I don't know."

Lois sunk down on the edge of the bed.

"I just don't understand. Why would this happen to her? Why would a psychic at a Smallville festival do this?" She asked, slapping her hands on her lap.

Clark could see how distraught she was. He could empathize wholly because he was feeling the same way. No matter how he tried to keep himself calm and focused, he couldn't get one thought out of his mind: ' _My daughter needs me.'_

Suddenly, he felt a vibration in his pocket and then the sound of his ringtone. Pulling out his phone he saw Dr. Hamilton's name on the screen.

Sliding his theme over the screen, he answered it saying, "Emil."

"Clark, I'm about ready, so, if you're ready to assist me with transporting my equipment, I can get started."

"I'll be right there." He said and then hung up. Looking over at Lois he explained, "That was Emil, the doctor I called. I have to help him get some of his equipment here."

Lois simply nodded and sniffed back as she watched Callie. He didn't want to leave them, but in order to get Emil and his equipment there as fast as possible, he resigned himself to the fact that he had to.

He placed his hand on her left shoulder and squeezed it assuring. Her right hand came on top his and he brushed his thumb over her soft skin.

"Go." She faintly said.

Sadly, he pulled his hand back. Taking a few steps backward toward the door he stared at the back of Lois' head then turned his attention to Callie lying in the bed. Taking a deep breath, and closing his eyes, he thought about finding a cure for whatever was plaguing her. Opening his eyes back up he took one more mental image, then blurred toward his destination.

~/~

Lois felt a whoosh of air flip the back of her hair up. Her hand grabbed at the vacant space where Clark's hand had just been and she let a single tear fall down her cheek.

Controlling her breathing, she tried to compose herself, for Callie's sake, for Clark's sake, for her sake. She would have small intervals where her insides would stop shaking but they were few and far between. Her mind would go back into overload, settling on one thought going on over and over in her brain: ' _My daughter needs me.'_

Looking down at her hands, she saw that her left one was still gripping the tarot card.

"Time to put myself to use instead of moping here."

Reaching over she placed the cold compress she had brought in on Callie's head.

"C.J.." She heard Callie breathe out.

Lois cocked her head to the side and wondered who that was. She wondered what she was seeing and who she was with. Then those thoughts manifested themselves into wondering what kind of life Callie had in the future, who her friends were, did she have any siblings?

' _Whoa, you just found out you have one kid, let's not push it and try to guess how many more you have, if any, okay, Lois?'_

Sighing, she spotted Clark's laptop on the dresser and went to retrieve it. Sitting back down in her spot, she lifted the lid up and turned it on. After the computer booted up, she quickly clicked to open the Internet browser.

Lois looked at Callie then back to the laptop screen. She typed "the nine of swords" into the search engine and clicked on the first page that came up. Scrolling down she read the words associated with the card:

Agony

Denial

Confusion

Avoidance

Suppression

Misdirection

Self-delusion

Lois could feel her heart start to beat faster with every word she read on the list. She knew what every word meant, but she couldn't piece together how it involved Callie or what she was going through. Scrolling down again, she read more about the card.

_What they are really seeking is to wake from this bad dream - which they can do by realizing that it is a bad dream - most of it is in their head. It gives us insight into the underbelly of the thoughts we'd rather not face, but are there nonetheless. What's more, these suppressed thoughts always return to haunt us when our guard is down._

Lois turned back to Callie. Her head was moving slightly from side to side, her eyes rapidly moving under her eyelids, her breathing heightened.

"A nightmare." Lois whispered.

Her eyes darted back to the screen, eager to learn more.

_The figurehead in the nine of swords is traditionally depicted in a bed. This is where we get the_ _**symbolism of suppressive and disillusioned thinking** _ _. And, as we've all experienced, the thoughts or behaviors we shove beneath the surface often bubble up in our dreaming or less conscious states of awareness._

_Although these are often deep rooted issues we'd rather not acknowledge, we owe it to ourselves to face them. Nature works on an inclusive circuit. Therefore, nurture yourself into alignment,_ _ **replace ill-mannered thoughts**_ _with ones that hold promise and compassion._

_Doing so will break the recycling loop of negative thoughts the nine of swords card suggests, while enhancing your divine growth at the same time._

Lois read everything carefully then looked over and saw the perspiration running down Callie's forehead. Setting the laptop down she picked up the cold compress and replaced it with the cloth from the bowl of cool water she had also brought in to wipe Callie's brow. Her face was scrunched up, grimacing, and she was still faintly twitching in all directions. Her mouth was moving slightly as if she was speaking, but no audio was coming out.

"Hang in there, kid. Think happy thoughts. _Please_?"

Lois thought about all the events that had happened in that day, all the things she knew, all the things that were unfolding before her eyes. Keeping the tears at bay she took Callie's hand in hers. Thinking of encouraging words, her mouth spoke before she could completely process what she was saying.

"Your dad will be here soon. He'll know what to do. Just hang in there."

\Ƨ/

Callie let her little brother lead her down hallway after hallway until they came to two giant metal doors. She was grimacing as she thought of who was behind there.

"You stay right here." She said to him.

Pushing the doors open, she glided into the room. She was the picture of confidence, her head held high, a straight look in her eye, and a smirk on her face. She felt a new found strength tingle in her body, voices telling her to hang on, her mother's voice, and a promise of her seeing her father. It was probably all wishful thinking, but she was keeping it close to her. She wasn't going to let this world get to her. She knew who she was, where she came from. Those thoughts were what were keeping her sane and strong.

Then she spotted _him_ at the head of the long, chestnut colored, rectangular conference table to the right of the room, four men seated on each side.

"Sorry to intrude. I can see that I'm interrupting your," she looked at the table of males and finished, "hair club for men meeting." She then looked at all the men again and said, "No offense."

"Would you please excuse us, gentlemen? I have to speak with my future step-daughter."

Callie scoffed, "You wish."

As the business associates backed their chairs away from the table and exited the room, Lex walked behind his desk, situated in the back center of the office, in front of the windows.

"So, what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked.

She looked at him directly in his cold eyes and said, "I'm leaving. And I'm taking my mother and brother with me."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. I don't know how or why this happened, but it ends now."

"Well, you know what? If you want to leave, that's fine, but I think it may take some convincing on your mother and brother's part."

"What are you talking about? You really think I'd have to convince them to leave _you_?" She asked, pointing at him.

"Oh, but I do. I've made it so their lives are very comfortable here. Little Chris, he even calls me ' _Dad_ '." He smirked.

Callie started to breathe harder and could feel her blood pressure rising. She went to move forward but then felt two sets of hands on each side of her. She looked up to see two men in black suits, who she assumed were Lex's bodyguards. She tugged both arms in their grasps, but they didn't budge.

"It doesn't matter what you do, you'll never be his father. He already has a dad."

" _Had_. I believe that's past tense." Lex moved to the window behind his desk and looked out onto the skyline of Metropolis, the sun shining in. "I have plans for your little brother. I will take him under my wing and mold him into a true man, an heir to my legacy. 'Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys. Look on them as your own beloved sons and they will stand by you even unto death,' _The Art of War_."

He turned back to face her and she could swear that he looked even more evil than before.

"'Everybody wants to rule the world,' _Tears for Fears_." Callie shrugged and smirked back. "Look, I can quote things, too. And, by the way, he already has a legacy to follow."

"The legacy of a farm boy turned newspaper journalist? A man he never even met? I think not." He said walking around his desk and toward her.

Callie forcefully tugged again, but the two thugs just tightened their grip. She could feel the bruises forming.

"I see exactly what you're doing. You've always wanted what he had, didn't you? And now that he seems to be out of the picture, you swoop in and woo the grieving widow and son. You're the _hero_ to them, to the public, and in the end smile because it's a big ' _screw you'_ to him. Well, guess what? He may not be here, but I am and you're pathetic. This whole 'I wish I had Jessie's Girl' routine is getting ol—."

Before she could finish her sentence Lex had slapped her face. Her right cheek was hot and stung like mad. The impact of his hand caused her to feel and taste blood, which was dripping out of the left side of her mouth. She stared at the floor; her eyes fresh with moisture from the sting, then gazed slowly back up at him.

Lex went back over to his desk and opened the top drawer. When his hand resurfaced there was a gun, a semi-automatic pistol, pointed at her.

"What are you going to do? Kill me in your own office? A poor defenseless girl? Not smart." She managed to say as she tried to think the pain away.

"How soon they forget." He said moving back toward her. "I own this city. I can do whatever I want. _Kill_ whoever I want and no one can do anything about it."

Callie swallowed back.

"What about my Mom and brother? You kill me, they won't trust you."

"They knew the risks of bringing you here in your condition; so sick and still so delusional. You attacked me," He moved the gun to tilt it on its side to emphasize, "the gun accidentally _went off_."

"My mother would never believe that."

"The world has changed, little girl. Hate to break it to you, but your mother changed with it. Honestly, I can't wait to get rid of you. Just looking at you reminds me of him."

Cocking the gun, his finger was then on the trigger. Looking at Thug 1 and Thug 2, she thought back to the Phantom Zone. She had been powerless there, but she had made it. The Zoners had been more brutal, as well.

' _Operation Spice World will now commence…again,'_ Callie thought.

Slamming her left foot down on Thug 1's right foot, she got out his grasp and pushed the palm of her hand into his nose. She shifted her body, kneed Thug 2 in the stomach, and then punched him in the face. She shook her hand and groaned as she felt the brunt of the blow.

Thug 1 hopped on one foot and cupped his nose as Thug 2 doubled over in pain. Callie then swiftly kicked Lex's hand, sending the gun flying in the air. She backed up and caught it. Turning it in her hand she promptly pointed it right back at him. He was clearly flabbergasted.

"Who you calling _little_?" She asked.

"Where did you learn that?" He breathed out in shock.

"Camp. Well, actually it was the General's **Boot Camp**. He didn't want his granddaughter to go out into the big, bad world alone without any tricks against any big, bad wolves." She cocked the gun and said, "Though you're not a wolf, are you, Lex? No, too much hair on a wolf. How about, a _Chihuahua_?"

"You're not going to shoot me."

Callie looked at her steady hand. She could, she could shoot him right then and there, but did she want to? Maybe. But that wasn't how she was brought up. To be truthful, she actually hated guns. She was a good shot, but hated guns.

Lowering the firearm, she ejected the magazine and threw it on the ground, tossing the empty pistol on the conference table.

"No, I'm not. My parents taught me better than that. My _father_ taught me better than that."

Lex then walked back up to her. They were face to face. His lips formed a tiny grin and then she felt the stinging in her face resurface. He had hit her again, harder this time. The two thugs once more had her in their gasp as they lifted her body up off of the floor.

"Don't you ever try that again."

"LEX! What are you doing!?" A voice screamed.

Soon her mother's face was in her view. Her hands cupped her face as she inspected the wounds forming. Her thumb lightly glazed over her right cheek and Callie winced.

"You're going to be okay. It doesn't look that bad." She whispered.

"Mom. Why?" Was all Callie could ask.

Her mother looked at her puzzled, then she saw a distance forming in her eyes. She stood up and went behind Callie and the guards silently. Callie couldn't believe it. Her mother was never silent. For her to be this position and her mother to stand back without a sound was baffling. Lex was right, she had changed.

Callie looked back up at Lex. She wasn't going to back down, though. Sure, he was dangerous, but so was she, _in her own way…_ There was no way she was going to let this go any further.

"I'm not backing down. What I said still stands."

"I admire your strength." He looked at both his bodyguards and signaled with a nod of his head to let her go.

Callie stumbled a bit, but was able to regain her balance. Her blue eyes slowly gazed back up at him.

"Like I said before, you can try, but I don't think you'll get the answer you want. You have five minutes."

In the corner of her eye she saw her little brother enter the room. She turned toward her mom and pulled her close.

"Mom, let's go. Let's get out of here."

"Callie, what are you talking about? What are you doing?" Her mother whispered. "This isn't how it's supposed to go."

"I don't care how it's supposed to go. We have to leave. We can't stay here. I don't even know how it got to this, but we can't do this, we can't stay." Callie urged, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I know."

"Then let's go. We can be a family, _all_ of us." She said, hoping that her mother would catch onto the " _all_ ".

Her mother's eyes lit up but then they were cast down again. She whispered, "Get your brother."

Callie smiled and waved C.J. over. His eyes widened at her hand motion and he tentatively walked toward them as he took at the surroundings of the gigantic office.

"What's going on?" He asked, glancing at both of them.

Callie knelt down and smiled, "We're going, little bro."

"We are?"

"Yup, you okay with that?" Callie asked, ruffling his hair.

He again looked up at his mom and then back to Callie. He shrugged and unsurely said, "I guess."

Callie stood back up and turned to Lex. She smirked and said, "I win."

"I guess you do." He placed his hands across his chest, standing there stoically, just like the painting she had seen. "Though Callie, I will say this. The minute you all leave, I can't help you anymore."

"That's fine because we don't need your help."

"I beg to differ. I've put a roof over your family's head, given them everything they could dream of, and how exactly do you think you got out of that padded cell of yours?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side. "Your release is provisional, based on your behavior. You leave, and then sadly it is out of my hands." He dropped his hands to his sides and walked over to the bar to pour himself a drink. "You'll be somewhat of a fugitive and your family will be aiding your escape." Taking a swig from his cup he asked, "Is that really what you want, Callie?"

"You _would_ do that." She said.

"So now _you_ have a choice." He said, turning the tables on her.

Callie battled within herself. She wanted to get her family out of there more than anything, but the consequences of doing so were dire. If she had her powers she wouldn't care, she knew she would be able to protect them, but in the hell dimension of a reality she was in, she was powerless.

"Lex," her mother spoke up, "Let them go and I'll stay."

"What?" Callie gasped, turning to face her mother.

"If you let my children leave, you'll still have me."

She turned back to see Lex forming a smile on his face, which was directed straight at her.

"Deal. They can leave as long as you stay."

He walked over to her brother and said, "Now, Chris, you listen to your sister. If you need anything, you call me." He then kneeled down, hugged him, and patted his back.

For a second time, Callie wanted to throw up. His sweetness to her little brother was sickening. The way he called him Chris and refused to say C.J. got to her even more. Her brother was Christopher Jonathan. Lex refused to acknowledge the Jonathan portion. She rolled her eyes and wanted to pry Lex away from him. She wanted to kick his ass so bad, but it was neither the place nor time.

"So long," he looked at Callie and then behind her to her mother and said, "son."

"Bye," C.J. said as he glanced at Callie as well, "Lex."

Lex let him go and he walked back over to Callie, standing close to her. She wondered if he was scared.

' _Of course he is. Aren't you?'_

She was scared, but not for the reason of going out into a world she didn't know…again. It was going without her mother that was killing her on the inside. Turning around as she grasped her brother's hand, she stared at her mother. She was trying to stay strong, but it was just another losing battle.

"Mom, you can't be serious. I can't leave you."

"Yes, you can." She assured, placing her hand on Callie's shoulder.

Callie shook her head as she sniffed back tears. "No, I can't."

"Callie, you have to."

Her mother's hazel eyes pleaded with her, almost as if trying to get a message across, but Callie couldn't figure it out.

"Time is ticking." Lex said in the background.

Her mother removed her hand and stepped out of the way. Callie started to walk toward the door as she grasped her brother's hand tighter. She soon turned around and was facing the back of her mother. She placed her right hand on her mother's left shoulder and in one action tried to convey the heartbreak she was feeling of leaving her. Her mother grasped the top of Callie's hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"Go." She said softly.

A tear fell down Callie's cheek as she prepared to say something, but no sound came out. She looked up Lex's gloating face and let out a deep breath. He had known all along that her mother wouldn't be coming with her. He was reveling in it.

Slowly she slipped her hand off her mother's shoulder and out of her grasp. She walked with her brother towards the doors that were being held open by Thug 1 and Thug 2. Once they stepped over the threshold the doors closed with a loud ' _bang_ ' that made her jump.

She had never felt so empty or helpless…or so determined.

\S/

Clark watched as Emil packed the last of his stuff in a doctor's bag and placed it on top of hospital machinery he had gathered together on a cart. A multitude of colored wires dangled down to the floor like vines. A small, tan box sat above the portable EKG monitor, a plug hanging loose with the letters EEG etched on it.

"That's the last of it. I have taken the liberty of collecting all the medical devices and materials I could think of, based on your description of Callie's state."

"If we need anything else you tell me and I'll get it." Clark firmly stated.

Emil nodded. "Affirmative."

Clark once again glanced at the machines, his stomach churning as he imagined Callie being hooked up to them. Ridding himself of the thought he turned to Emil.

"Do you get motion sickness?"

"Well, no, but I-."

Before Emil had a chance to finish his sentence, in a flash they were on the porch of the farm. He steadied Emil, who seemed a bit dizzy and checked to make sure he had not left anything behind.

"Well, that certainly was unexpected." Emil said, adjusting his glasses.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'll be quite fine once my internal organs have aligned in their correct positions."

Clark opened the door and started to transfer the machinery from the porch into the house, while Emil composed himself. He admitted to himself that he might have gone a bit faster with his superspeed than intended, but all he could envision was Callie helpless on the bed, while she and Lois both waited for his return.

"Alright, I believe I am fully modulated. She's upstairs?"

Clark nodded, a bit hesitant to follow Emil. His eyes scanned each step and fell on his bedroom door. He trekked up the steps, machinery in hand, and accompanied Emil in the bedroom.

His eyes fell immediately on Lois who blotted Callie's forehead with a washcloth in one hand, while gripping Callie's hand in the other.

Emil cleared his throat, which caught Lois' attention. He proceeded to advance to the bed. He gingerly moved Lois' hand from Callie's forehead and turned his head marginally toward Clark.

"Clark, can you hand me my medical bag?"

Clark quickly obeyed and fetched the bag for him. Once it was in Emil's hands, he opened it up and retrieved what looked like an infrared thermometer. Emil brought it up to Callie's forehead and in a mere minute Clark heard it beep. Emil examined the digital display, but the reading must not have been good since Clark noticed his eyes widen considerably.

"What is it?" Lois asked with apprehension in her voice.

Emil took his glasses off his face and then replaced them on his face.

"It seems as though Callie's body temperature has achieved 104 degrees."

"What?" Lois gasped, jumping off the bed. "What do you mean 104? That's serious, right?"

Clark watched as Emil glanced in his direction. "It can be if it keeps climbing."

Lois wrapped her arms around herself and began to pace a little.

"Well then open your magic bag of tricks and help her out there, Doc."

"I'm going to try, Miss Lane."

Emil again went into his bag and brought out another device. He held it up and said, "This is a pulse oximeter, I'm going to clip it to Callie's finger to get a reading of the oxygenation in her system and get a reading of her pulse at the same time."

Clark stood frozen. He watched as Emil did his entire test, but he felt so helpless. Empty and helpless. His gaze shifted over to Lois who was looking in his direction as well. She sauntered over to his side. He could tell that she was trying to regulate her breathing so that she wouldn't break down so in an action to ease her, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it. The gesture caused her to jump a little and glance up at him.

He observed her deep in thought. She composed her breathing again and said, "Clark, I did some reading about that card and it…it wasn't good."

"What do you mean?"

"It had all these descriptions of the card, talking about nightmares and facing things that you suppress. And that the way to break out of the cycle is to have good thoughts and face your fears."

"Face your fears?" He questioned.

Lois nodded. "I know, it was all Greek to me at first, but look at her, Clark. One of the words associated with the card was agony, and I don't know how else to describe the look on her face. I just wish I knew what was doing this to her, what she's seeing."

Lois' voice began to crack a bit and she cleared her throat and she briskly swatted away a tear from her cheek.

"Her pulse is strong, which is very good. The oxygen levels are on par, too."

"Good." Clark breathed.

"I am going to need a blood sample though. You said that she was fine then collapsed, correct?" Clark and Lois nodded. "I hypothesize that there may be something in her bloodstream, but to be sure I'm going to need to take a sample."

Emil already had a syringe in his hand as he moved to pull Callie's arm straight out. His thumb was on the inner of her forearm as he wrapped a rubber tourniquet above the chosen spot. He swabbed the area then patted her arm and aimed the needle.

As he pushed in Clark exclaimed, "Emil, I don't think that's—" but Clark stopped speaking when he saw the needle penetrate Callie's skin.

Emil pushed the tube into the holder and it automatically started filling with blood. He then ejected the tube and placed gauze on her wound, applying pressure. Once he put a bandage on the wound he placed a label on the tube and set it in a black case.

"What was that, Clark?" Emil asked.

Clark was speechless. He thought for sure that the needle would have bent. Whatever illness she had was making her entire body vulnerable to attack.

"Nothing." He answered.

"I see she has bandages here, and some bruises, was this prior to her taking ill?" Emil asked, pointing to Callie's other arm.

"Actually, those kind of appeared out of nowhere." Lois chimed in.

"Interesting." He said reexamining Callie's arm.

"Lex." Callie suddenly gasped out.

The room was immediately silent. All eyes were on her as she sighed out another breath and scrunched her face up in anguish.

"Did she just—." Lois began.

"Yes, she did." Clark said.

Lois turned to Clark and said, "If you knew something you would tell me, right?"

"Knew something about what? About Lex?"

Lois nodded.

"Lois, as far I know Lex is dead." He said truthfully.

"So, then why is gasping out his name and scowling?"

"Lois, honestly, I don't know."

Unexpectedly, Callie's face whipped to the left and let out a whimper. Blood started to drip out of the left side of her mouth

"What the hell just happened?" Lois asked, running to Callie's side. She grabbed the wet cloth and wiped the blood away.

"I'm not entirely sure." Emil said.

As Emil vacated his spot from the side of the bed, Clark replaced him.

" _Smallville…"_ Lois whispered, her eyes watery as she communicated to him with just one look how scared she was.

"I know."

Callie moved her head back to its original position. Her breathing was heightened again and Clark could faintly hear her panting. The muscles in her arms and legs started to gyrate a bit. Then, all at once, her body settled down and her breathing stabilized.

Emil came back over and with the tan box that Clark had seen earlier.

"What's that?" He asked.

"EEG or electroencephalogram. This procedure tracks and records brain wave patterns." Emil said as he attached some electrodes to Callie's scalp.

He placed the box on the bed and turned to Lois, "May I have that monitor, please?" He pointed to the wheeled cart that Clark had brought up the stairs.

Lois nodded and placed the monitor next to him. Emil then plugged in a cord to its side that was already attached to the box. He then handed the electrical plug to Lois, who inserted it into the outlet next to the bed.

Clark observed as Emil then went back into his bag and pulled out a blood pressure cuff and wrapped it around Callie's arm. As he pumped it, Clark could hear the hissing sound of the air being let out.

"Her pressure is high, which is understandable…" He looked over at the monitor and studied the wavy lines. He continued, "Her brain waves seem to be stab—."

Callie suddenly jerked her face to the side again and the lines on the monitor spiked. Lois climbed onto the bed and placed her thumb on the welt forming on Callie's face. Clark could hear Callie wince under her breath at the touch.

Lois turned to Emil and Clark asking, "What the hell is going on?"

"Mom…" Callie croaked out.

Clark felt his heart stop. Could Callie hear them? Was she responding in some way? He truly wanted to know what the hell was going on, too. As he inched closer, he watched a single tear glide down Callie's cheek.

He could feel his insides tearing at him. He couldn't watch her like this. Turning to Emil he asked, "What's the diagnosis?"

"I think we all need to talk." Emil said.

Emil exited the room and walked solemnly, Lois and Clark were immediately behind him. The three of them stood in the hallway, well, partially into the hallway. Lois and Clark stayed in the doorway ready to run back into the room at a moment's notice.

"I've never actually seen anything like this with my own eyes. I've read about such incidents, many of them discredited, but never experienced one."

"Experienced what? Dr. Hamilton, please?" Clark asked, impatiently.

"There is a theory in the medical/neurology field about dreams being able to cause physical harm. In other words, what happens to you as you dream is corresponded into reality. In this case, when Callie is physically hurt in her mind, her body is actually hurt. I fear what might happen if the violence escalates into something more fatal."

"What is this? _Nightmare on Elm Street_? You die in your dreams, you die for real?" Lois skeptically asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"While I'm not partial to that brand of cinema, that is precisely the case here. The fact her body mimics whatever injury she sustains in her dream-state leads me to conclude that if Callie were to die in her mind, her body would die here as well."

Clark stepped forward. "How do we wake her up, Emil?"

"You can't."

Clark felt the insides of his body plummet. He grabbed onto the wood of the door panel to steady himself. There had to be a way to wake her up. He wasn't going to resign himself to believing there was nothing he could do. Callie was lying in his bed, vulnerable to any kind of attack, and he was going to find a way to protect her any way he could.

"Hey Doc, you're supposed to be able to cure people. So go in there and cure her, **damn it**!" Lois exclaimed.

"It's not that simple, Miss Lane. Currently, she's in stage five of sleep, which is REM, or Rapid Eye Movement. This atones with her brain activity and rising blood pressure. While in a normal person, one can awaken from this stage, but whatever is in Callie's system is inhibiting that ability. She's stuck. The only thing I can do is try to figure out what is in her system and possibly be able to deplete it in her bloodstream."

"Well, then go, do it. The sooner the better."

Clark could hear the cracks in her voice become more frequent. She looked at him once then turned back into the bedroom and directly to Callie's side. Clark turned back to Emil who only had a poignant look on his face, the kind one would see in times of despair.

"Do you think she has a chance?"

"That depends. You know her better than I do. Do _you_ think she has a chance?"

Clark peered over his shoulder and watched Lois hold Callie's hand at her bedside. He could see the most determined expression on Callie's face, even in her current state. He had seen that look many times before but on another face, one very similar to hers. It was there he found his answer.

"Yes, she has a chance." He faintly said.

\Ƨ/

Callie held onto C.J.'s hand as she marched them through Metropolis. The world seemed familiar, like her own, but it was also much darker, the people…the sky. She looked up to the sky, the sun hidden now behind dark clouds and could feel water start to cascade down her face. The wetness cooled her down and for a second she was content. When she opened her eyes back up she realized that they were suddenly standing in front of a cemetery.

"I still feel weird about this, about leaving. I don't think we should have."

She looked down at her brother and saw the confusion on his face. He didn't know what was going on, why he was being pulled around the city by her. She could empathize completely because she didn't know why either.

' _I know the feeling, little man.'_ She thought.

As she glanced again at the cemetery, she could sense something magnetizing about it. The black rail aluminum fence was the only thing that stood in her way of gaining access to the other side, to whatever was waiting for her. The pull of the cemetery made her walk through the gates, C.J. in tow. They walked further and further in until a familiar monument caught her eye.

"Why are we here?" he asked.

Callie looked down at him and grabbed each shoulder with her hands.

"Because you need to understand this. I want you to forget everything you know and listen to me. Lex is not your _dad_ , C.J.. No matter what he said or did, he's not." Pointing to the statue above a gold plaque, she said, "He is."

Her brother stared up at it, wide eyed. She followed where his eyes went and looked upward to the stone statue of Superman. When she had been smaller, the city of Metropolis had planned to erect a monument dedicated to the "Man of Steel," to honor him. Plans had gone through, but once ground broke to build her father had resurfaced and the monument was abandoned for another project. Staring at the monument brought back the feelings of the fateful rainy day she had stood with thousands of others to say goodbye. But even on that day, she hadn't said goodbye.

' _And I never will.'_

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, breaking her out of her trance.

Crouching down to his height she explained, "Because, he is our father. Lex is the antithesis of what he represents."

C.J. moved away from her and walked closer to the statue, staring up at it. The rain started to come down harder, pelting at their faces, including the stone face sculpted to look like Superman.

Callie walked up behind him and placed a single hand on his shoulder. She crouched down again and placed her head next to it.

"He's out there somewhere. I know it." She whispered.

"How can he be?"

"Because…he's _Dad_. And from where I come from, he came back."

He whipped his head around to hers. "What do you mean where you come from?"

Noticing her slip of the tongue she instead answered, "C.J., it's a very complicated issue, okay? All I can tell you is that, he's out there somewhere."

He slapped his hands down at his waist and began to pace on the muddy ground.

"I don't even know who he is. All I know are the stories I've heard or read. If he is out there, why didn't he come back for us?"

"Because he couldn't." Callie affirmed. "That's the only explanation. I wish I could explain it better, but it's a feeling, a feeling I have inside me," she then pointed to her chest and continued, "inside my heart. I know if you could concentrate on it, you could feel it, too. I know mom feels it. You just have to trust me on this."

C.J. nodded then seemed to fixate his eyes on her face.

"Does it hurt?"

Callie brought her hand up to bruise that was becoming very sensitive.

"I'm okay." Callie lied.

He cast his eyes down at the ground and shuffled his feet. She could see the guilt building in his body language and facial expression.

"Lex was always so nice to me. He always gave me things and took me places. He just seemed like a… I just didn't know what it felt like, you know? To have that kind of person in my life like everyone else."

Callie couldn't believe that was true. With all the guys in the Justice League, even with the silly notion of her father gone, it seemed perplexing that none of them came up to bat and took her brother under their wing, especially Bruce.

"I don't blame you. You're a kid. He took advantage of that and what you were feeling. It's not your fault."

C.J. looked at the statue again and she could see tears in his crystal blue eyes.

"What if he's mad?"

Callie sighed, "He's not mad. He understands."

"How do you know?"

"Because Dad is…the most understanding person in the world, he's magnanimous. And no matter what, he loves you."

He scoffed, "He doesn't even know I'm alive."

"Of course he does." Callie aggressively responded. "He's been with you since the day you were born. No matter where you go or what you do, he's always watching over you."

C.J. let a single tear fall down his cheek then ran and grabbed onto her, giving her a hug.

"I missed you." He whispered.

Callie closed her moisture ridden eyes, holding him tightly, and breathed out, "I missed you, too, little man. More than you know."

Feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, she quickly looked over her shoulder and viewed two men, in black suits, loitering outside the gates of the cemetery.

' _Lex,_ ' she thought.

"We've got to get out of here." Callie said, taking his hand again.

She knew there had to be another entrance somewhere. Running through the mud, they zigged, zagged, and jumped over gravestones. Seeing another entrance in sight, she picked up the pace as she helped her brother along.

Once they reached the sidewalk, she had them run down one more block then into an alleyway. It was dark, dank, and trashed. Graffiti littered on the walls, a picture of a fist with the words 'For Our World' arched above it.

She laid both their bodies against the wall and slowly peeked around the wall. Sure enough, the men were right on their trail. Thinking of a plan real fast, Callie noticed the side entrance to the building a little ways down the alley. Grabbing her brother's hand again they ran toward it. Luckily, the door was unlocked and Callie ushered C.J. in first.

Maneuvering down different hallways, and moving around people, Callie again had them flatten their bodies in a crevice behind a flight of stairs, trying to keep out of sight. However, the men appeared again.

"What?" She whispered in disbelief.

She watched as one of the men pulled out a device and aimed in the direction she and her brother were hiding. Tilting her head in confusion of the device, her eyes sprang to life as visions of being in Lex's office resurfaced.

_Lex had walked over to C.J. and said, "Now, Chris, you listen to your sister. If you need anything, you call me." He then kneeled down, hugged him, and_ _**patted his back** _ _._

"C.J., turn around."

He obeyed and she saw the tiniest microchip embedded in the shoulder of his red shirt. Roughly pulling it off, she examined it.

"What is it?"

"A tracking device." She answered. "So much for letting us go freely, huh?"

Callie watched as the men came closer. Studying her surroundings she spotted a restroom as a female opened the door above the first flight of stairs.

She waited until the men were distracted by a man carrying boxes down the hallway, then ducked around the stairs and rapidly ran up them to the first floor door. Quietly opening it, she pushed C.J. in first then followed him, trying to let the door close as silently as she could to not alert anyone. She then pointed to the restroom and they went inside.

Turning the light she went straight for the toilet and threw the chip in the bowl.

"Try following this." She said then hit the lever with her foot. The chip swished around the bowl until it was gobbled up and flowed down the pipes. "That should give us some time."

Exiting the restroom, she checked each side of the hallway before they made their escape. Running down another set of stairs, and through countless hallways again, she found another door that led to the outside, or in their case, another alley.

Making sure the coast was clear, they darted down the alley. Once she thought they were free and clear, she stopped to let them catch their breath.

"How much longer are we going to keep running?"

As she was about to tell him that she didn't know, Callie's eyes landed on a car parked a few yards away from them. Walking over, her right hand glided across the body of the car and settled on the handle to the driver's side door. Lifting the handle up the door opened.

' _Jackpot.'_

"Not much longer, well on foot anyway."

Opening the door fully, she sat down in the seat and petted the steering will. She smiled as a plan formed in her brain, designing an escape route and destination. Her joy was short lived when she spotted the ignition. Noting the model and year of the car, she forgot that most of the newer cars were state of the art, each designed with thumbprint ignition. Of course since she didn't own the car, her thumb print wouldn't be able to start it.

' _So much for utilizing my skills of hotwiring the tractor._ '

"Damn it." Callie yelled as she hit the center of the steering wheel. The impact of her punch caused the airbag to deploy right in her face. Pushing it away, then ripping it out with all her strength and tossing it aside, she said, "Great, just great."

Punching the air bag down on the passenger's seat, and ripping it out as well, she unlocked the passenger side door and said, "Get in."

"But we can't go anywhere." C.J. said.

"Yeah, well, staying out in the open isn't going to do us any favors either."

"Road assistance, we detected your airbags deploying." A female voice rang in the car.

At first Callie was startled by the voice, but then noticed in the center of the dashboard that the car was hooked up to one of those in-vehicle security, communications, and diagnostics systems.

Looking at the ignition, she thought hastily and said, "Please, we…uh…need some help. We can't get the car started and my dad is ill in the backseat and… _uh_ …he's a _big_ guy, so I can't get him to use the print ignition. You need to help us."

"Hold while we contact emergency services." The voice replied.

"NO! No, no, uh, he's really hurt. Please, listen to me. I can get him to a hospital and drive, I'm fine, but I can't get the ignition started. So you got to start the car for us, okay?"

"Your name, please."

"My name is…"

Callie pointed to the glove box and motioned for C.J. to go through the papers.

"Uh…my name is…Jo…and my dad's name is…"

She snapped her fingers and he quickly handed her the car registration.

"His name is…Sangjun Kang." She put the paper on her lap and continued, "Please, just help us."

"Emergency services are on their way."

Callie leaned forward quickly and yelled, "No, no, listen to me! Ma'am, what is your name?"

"Linda."

"Linda? Okay, Linda, I don't know if you have a dad, but I do and I need to help him, save him, okay? Because my dad is my hero and right now he needs me. So, please, start the goddamn car!"

All of a sudden the ignition started and all the lights on the dashboard lit up.

"Thank you, Linda." She breathed in relief.

Callie pressed the blue button with the star on it and turned off the system completely, turning her attention to the car.

"Safety first, buckle up, little bro."

Callie put the car into drive when she heard his seatbelt click and pulled out of the alleyway. As she turned onto the busy streets of Metropolis, she silently thought of an escape route out of the city.

"How did you know how to do that?" he asked.

"You're kidding, right?"

She glanced at C.J. and saw him shake his head ' _no_ '.

"Die Hard 4."

He looked at her puzzled.

"Die Hard 4… _Live Free and Die Hard_ …" He still gave her the same confused look. "I never educated you on the valuable lessons you learn from the _Die Hard_ series?"

Again he shook his head.

"Maybe I _am_ crazy." She commented, focusing on the road in front of her.

Finally making it out of the city and onto Route 35, she started driving west. West wasn't where their destination was, but the fact they had just borrowed, not stolen, a car that had a destination system in it clued her in the fact that they could still be tracked.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll know when we get there. Right now, I'm taking a detour."

Once they were about fifty miles outside the city which seemed to go by very fast, Callie saw a gigantic billboard sign sticking out of the ground for the "World's Largest Ball of Yarn." Pulling over to the side of the road, she drove right next to the sign and put the vehicle in park.

"Are we going to see the 'World's Largest Ball of Yarn'?"

"No, we're not. As fun as that is/" Callie said. "Get out of the car."

"What?"

Putting the car in neutral she again said, "Get out of the car."

C.J. complied with her and exited the car as did she at the same time.

"Now, get in the driver's seat." She ordered.

"What? I can't drive. I'm twelve."

"I know that, _genius_. I need you to steer the car while I push it from behind."

He obeyed and got into the driver's seat and placed his hands on the steering wheel. Callie then went to the back of the car and placed her hands on the trunk.

"Now, move the steering wheel to the right, but not too much, okay?"

"Okay!" C.J. called back to her.

Using all her strength she pushed the car as her brother steered. She stopped when the car was completely hidden by the sign.

"Okay, you can get out now."

C.J. exited the car and ran up to her and smiled, "That was awesome."

"Wait 'til you drive the tractor."

He looked at her in confusion then asked, "What now?"

Before she could respond a red truck pulled over before them. Callie instinctively pushed her brother behind her as she eyed the truck. She watched closely as a male, in a green shirt and purple vest exited the vehicle.

"You kids, okay?" He asked.

Callie nodded, a bit suspicious of the man. However, for some reason, she knew he wasn't under Lex's payroll. She didn't know how she knew, but she just did.

"You need a lift?"

"Depends. Are you strictly heading west?" She asked.

"Well, I made a wrong turn back there. I'm heading to Granville, got lost, and I have to turn around."

Callie smiled. "Perfect. So you're heading in the direction of Smallville?"

"Yes. Is that where you need to go?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Well, then hop in." He said, waving them over.

"Can we trust him?" C.J. asked looking up at her.

Callie glanced back at the man and really studied him. There was still something about him that was gnawing at her, like she knew him from somewhere.

"Yeah, I think we can." She smiled and took his hand in hers. "Come on."

*/*

Callie scrunched her body in the middle seat of the truck as C.J. fell asleep on her. Moving her right arm, she huddled him close to her as she brushed hair away from his face.

She turned to the driver, he had revealed his name to be Jonah when they had entered the truck, and then set her eyes on the traffic they had hit ahead of them.

"Been a long day?" Jonah asked.

Callie nodded silently; she then glanced down at C.J. and felt envy at his sleeping form. She too was tired herself, but she couldn't fall asleep since she had to be on alert.

"If you want I can put on the radio."

She grinned slightly and said, "Sure."

Pressing a button on his steering wheel, the radio came to life.

" _Up next, KMET takes you on a blast from the past with a classic song dedication. For Laura, I know you're embarking on a tough journey right now, but if there is any advice I could give you it would be 'don't give up and dream until your dream comes true'. From, Joe. This is for you, Laura…"_

Callie listened to the beginning cords of the song and relaxed her head back, letting the music seep into her. She knew the song well and followed along with the lyrics in her head, humming along quietly.

Callie looked down at her wrist and shook it, causing the bracelet to swirl around. The blue crystal flipped around, mocking her. As soon as they reached their destination she was going to pry it off or find some kind of lead cloth or chip to melt on top of it somehow. She had to get it off of her some way, anyway.

Looking forward she could see that the traffic was letting up a bit. The clouds had seemed to part and the sun shone right in her face, but she didn't shy away from it. She let the warmth hit her. It almost felt like hands cupping her face. She pretended it truly was. It didn't matter whose hands they were, her father or mother, the feeling it gave was the most solace she had felt since finding herself in this reality.

Between the sunlight and the music, Callie let herself be encompassed by it all. She could have sworn she felt the lightest touch on her forehead. She brought her hand up to touch it, but felt nothing there. Then the weirdest thing happened. She heard the faintest words whispered in her ear, "I'll be back soon. I promise."

Closing her eyes for a few seconds, she reveled in the words, playing them back over and over. The looping of the words of the song filled with a hope that maybe her dreams would come true. That she could make her family right in this world then find a way back to her own.

Opening her eyes back up the song stopped completely. It was the oddest thing. As she looked out the window, the road was surrounded by stalks of corn and not a multitude of cars like before. After closer inspection she knew the road. She knew it quite well, in fact.

They were in Smallville.

"You must have nodded off there." Jonah said.

"Yeah, I guess…" She said, but, in actuality she could have sworn she had closed her eyes only a few seconds.

"Is there a particular address you need me to drop you off at?"

"The Kent Farm on Hickory Lane."

The sound of their talking must have woken up C.J., since he stirred by her side. Rubbing his eyes, he too looked out the window and viewed the world before him.

"This looks familiar." He said.

Callie messed the hair on his head and said, "Good, I was hoping you would say that."

A few minutes later the red truck turned up the large driveway and stopped once it reached the high sunflowers and yellow house on the property.

C.J. opened the door and hopped out while Callie stayed in the car and turned to Jonah.

"Thank you."

"It was no trouble." He smiled.

Callie eyed him closer, still feeling as if she knew the man before her somehow.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I'm sorry, you just remind me of someone."

He nodded and chuckled, "I get that a lot."

Callie grinned and moved toward the open door. She closed the door, but heard the window roll down.

"Oh, and Callie?" He called out. She turned to him through the open window and he continued, "Stay true to yourself. Whatever it is you have to face, never forget who you are and where you come from. You'll find all the strength you need there."

He winked at her as he pulled out a dark cookie, from what seemed like thin air, and ate it. Her eyes widened as her mind made the connection. Before she could say anything, the truck backed down the driveway and disappeared from sight.

"No way." She whispered.

"Callie?" her brother asked beside her.

She glanced one more time down the driveway then grabbed her brother's hand and headed towards the gate. Once they were through, they took one step at a time and stood on the porch in front of the door.

After taking a deep breath and letting it out Callie raised her right hand, making a fist, and knocked on the door.

\S/

Lois put the face cloth on Callie's head, blotting around the electrodes, which she was pulling off. She then put the cloth back in the bowl of cold water and placed it on Callie's head again. Drops of water escaped and cascaded down her face.

Callie seemed to be resting, she hadn't moved yet but she seemed far from content. The expressions on her face changed fluidly, from anguish to sadness. Her body remained tense and Lois felt like it mirrored her own. She wanted nothing more than to sit back and relax, maybe take a two hour shower, but she couldn't. She was on alert and she refused to take her attention off of Callie. The fact that anything that Callie went through could harm her physically sent her mind spinning. She wanted nothing more than to protect her and help her and to hear that she couldn't, it killed her otherwise commanding spirit.

Lois glanced over shoulder and saw Clark and the doctor still conversing. She tried to listen in on what they were saying, but as she leaned back Callie's sharp intake of breath forced her attention back on her.

Callie panted breaths as her body moved as if she were running. The actions would stop then start again; her foot had even extended at one point. Once she settled down, her mouth began moving again with no audible sounds coming out.

Lois felt so helpless looking down at her. She sensed a presence behind her and turned to see Clark towering over her, a despondent look upon his face.

"Let me guess, more bad news from the doctor?"

He stayed silent and next to her on the bed.

"I know she's going to be fine, Lois. She has to be." He declared, staring towards his bedroom window.

She hated the look he had on his face. She had seen it so many times over the years as he sat up in his loft.

"She will be. I mean look at her." Lois agreed, silently thinking about her heritage.

He slowly turned his head to her and the tiniest grin formed on his face.

"So, where is the good doctor?" She asked.

"I—well he left to test the blood and determine what's in her bloodstream. He'll call me once he knows anything."

Lois' eyes drifted to the side table where the tarot card was. She reached over, picking it up, and thumbed over the picture of swords on it.

"What are we going to do about this? The psychic, suspecto numero uno."

Clark took the card from her, their hands lightly touching. The slightest spark ran through her body. Their eyes met and she could see the battle in his eyes. He didn't want to leave them.

"Will you be—"

The sound of Callie humming a song pulled Clark's and her attention away before he could finish. Lois reached over and cupped her face. She still felt warm, but not as feverish as before, which eased her mind more. Dropping her hands from her face, Lois turned back to Clark.

"Clark, go. Maybe you can find the psychic and get a cure out of her or something. Though, if she really is psychic she'll know you're coming." She quipped at the end.

"Lois...I don't just want to leave you here."

"Clark, if you don't, you won't be helping her. You need to go; you'll get there fast and be back before we know it. Right?"

"Right." He weakly agreed.

Clark leaned over to Lois, placing one hand on the side of her head and kissed her on her forehead, lingering his lips there for a few seconds.

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he whispered sincerely.

Lois closed her eyes and kept her tears at bay. She smirked weakly and said, "Ditto."

Clark then turned to Callie, moved around Lois, and hovered over her. He kissed her on the forehead as well and whispered, "I'll be back soon. I promise."

Standing up tall, his eyes met Lois' again. She nodded at him, signaling that it was alright for him to go. Shelby, who had been silent through the whole ordeal so far, decided to walk over and sat by her side. She patted his head, and she could tell by his puppy dog eyes that he was just as bewildered at the rest of them.

The creaks in the floor from Clark sent his ears back and she pretended to focus on what was in front of her and not his departure. Slowly, she heard his footsteps leave the room, felt a strange wind blow even though the window wasn't open, and then heard nothing at all except for the rapid beating of her own heart.

~/~

Clark dashed through the empty field hoping against hope that he would find her there. He searched everywhere and went back to the tent that she had resided in that afternoon. There was nothing, though. He let out a defeated sigh, but clenched his fist, checking himself and refusing to give up so easily. Looking down at his feet he stumbled upon a business card stuck in the grass.

**Want to know what your future holds?**

**Ask Madame Savita**

**4567 Broadway**

**Metropolis KS, 66517**

**Free Reading with this card**

Clark clutched the card tightly and within seconds was outside a storefront, a hanging sun and moon on the sign. A light was on in the back of the store so he went to open the door. He half expected it to be locked but when he tried it, it was unlocked. Walking through the dark passageway he smelled a strong odor, possibly incense, emanating from the backroom. He brushed back curtains and entered a small room with a round table, surrounded by candles.

"I was expecting you." He heard her say from behind him.

' _Huh, Lois called that.'_

"My _friend_ , she saw you today at the festival. She's really sick. I need to know what you did to her." He demanded.

The psychic shook her head. "I didn't see her."

"She said she saw a psychic. You were the only psychic there."

"I'm assuming we're talking about the Star, right. Not Lois."

Clark nodded.

"Then I didn't see her." She walked over to the table and sat down, "But I may be able to tell you what is wrong with her."

She gestured to him to sit down but he was reluctant. Valuable time was passing by, time he could be at Callie's side.

"I know you worry about her, but you need to understand what is happening to her, so sit."

Clark let up a breath and obeyed. Pulling out her deck of Tarot cards she shuffled them then fanned them out on the table.

"Pick one."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, pick one."

"Look, I'm not here to play games I want to kn—."

"You want to know what is happening to her, so…Pick. One."

Clark narrowed his eyes at her and picked a card.

"You have a strong connection to her. The King of Cups revealed that earlier today. The desire to be a father."

Clark gulped when she uttered that word. _Father_.

Taking the card he picked she flipped it over. It revealed a man, hanging upside down from a tree, his hands bound, but his face not suffering.

"I don't understand." He said, shaking his head.

"This," she said, picking up the card, "is the Hanged Man. It's the card of suspension. It reflects the story of Odin who offered himself as a sacrifice in order to gain knowledge. Hanging from the world tree, wounded by a spear, given no bread or mead, he hung for _nine days_. On the last day, he saw on the ground runes that had fallen from the tree, understood their meaning, and, coming down, scooped them up for his own. All knowledge is to be found in these runes."

Leaning forward on the table he asked, "But what does this have to do with Callie?"

"This card signifies a time of insight so deep that, for a moment, nothing but that insight exists. The Hanged Man symbolizes such moments of suspension between physical and mystical worlds. Such moments don't last, and they usually require some kind of sacrifice. In order to gain, you must give. One thing is certain, once you have been the Hanged Man you never see things quite the same."

"Sacrifice?" Clark asked, his eyes widening to possibilities she had just listed.

"It is a trial she is facing. One that she is facing alone."

"What can I do to help her?" He asked, desperate for an answer.

She gave him a sympathetic look and said, "Give her the strength she needs."

"What does the nine of swords mean to you?"

Her eyes snapped up. "Why?"

"Because she was carrying around that card."

The psychic nodded, deep in thought, realization coming over face, "I see."

"You see what?" He asked, his anger starting to build up. He wanted answers and he wanted them at that moment.

"Fear."

"That's what Lois said."

"She was right. The nine of swords depicts fear, the action of suppressing it. Bad dreams that haunt you until you understand that it is all in the mind. Your friend must face them."

"How?"

"Only she can figure it out."

Clark stared at his hands on the table. Feeling like he garnered loads of information that wasn't going to do him any good. It didn't matter how much he knew about the situation. All he knew was that Callie's current state had to deal with her fears, alone, and now he learned she'd have to make a sacrifice. There was nothing he could do to intervene. He couldn't save her. She could only save herself.

* * *

-/-

References: tarotteachings; ehow to draw blood; kidshealth


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five: Fear Itself, Part 2; The Calm Before The Storm

**Chapter Twenty-Five:** _**Fear Itself, Part 2; The Calm Before The Storm** _

_20 Minutes Ago_

Chloe rolled her chair between computers searching for abnormal activity in Smallville, which she scoffed at. Smallville was the capital for abnormalities, most she had seen firsthand. Grimacing, she began to type again in her search and as she did she felt a gust of wind blow through her hair and subsequently sent her paperwork flying. Twisting in her chair she saw a confused Dr. Hamilton standing in the doorway of Watchtower.

"Emil!" Chloe gasped.

"Chloe." Emil nodded then took his glasses off to shake his head slightly. Once he placed his glasses back on his face, he held a vial of blood.

"I would hope you have the facilities to test this?"

"Yeah, this way." She said pushing herself out of her chair, leaving the computer to scan Smallville.

As she led him up the stairs and over to the designated lab station, she couldn't help but be curious as to what was going on.

"This is quite impressive." Emil declared.

"With Oliver it was no expense spared in the technology here. Computers, scientific instruments, and satellite link-up. Everything is top of the line. Welcome to Watchtower." She grinned.

Emil's facial expression didn't change as he glanced back at the workstation and began to move some instruments around.

Chloe's grin fell when she saw how serious Emil seemed. Thinking back to her call with Clark she said, "I assume you came from Clark's. How's Callie?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. She has a determinate spirit, so hopefully that will help her. But in any case, I'm running a test on her blood" He said, studying the instruments and avoiding her gaze.

' _Her blood? How did Emil get Callie's blood if a needle can't puncture her skin?'_

"Wait, what exactly is going on?"

Turning around he held up the vial. "That's what I'm going to find out."

Moving back toward all the instruments she watched him as he diligently picked up slides and solution then pulled out the microscope. The calm process he had of putting the slide together intrigued Chloe. She finally saw a change in his facial expression when he lifted his head fully. Though, it certainly wasn't one she had been expecting.

"Is there something I should know about Callie?" He asked.

" _Know_?"

"Her origins, perhaps?"

Chloe's eyes started to shift from side to side. She turned from him and answered ambiguously, "Well, she's sort of like Clark, if that's what you mean."

"Sort of?" He pressed.

Turning back around swiftly she asked unkindly, "What are you getting at, Emil?"

Moving towards another machine, labeled "gene testing", he placed a few drops of blood in and the enzymes began to appear on the screen.

"Just as I suspected. The enzyme…they're related."

Typing on the keyboard, he brought up two files then the screen overlapped them over Callie's, creating a perfect fit.

"Chloe, it would be most imperative if we didn't keep secrets from each other."

"Well, then you're in the wrong line of work."

Moving closer to her he pleaded, "Please, this is crucial to Callie's recovery, Chloe."

' _I guess I have no choice.'_ She thought.

"Callie is… _from the future_."

She waited for Emil to look at her strangely, but she saw his face light up with recognition instead.

"The future? That explains her blood pattern." He said looking at the screen, "and the parental relation. _Clark is_ …"

Chloe sighed, "Yes."

"How exactly did she get here?"

As she turned and started walking down the stairs Chloe replied, "That's the million dollar question. We don't know and she doesn't know. She claims that some _woman in black_ flashed a green light and she was here. The computer is trying to scan for anything abnormal at the time of the festival right now. Though, I'm not really sure what we're looking for."

"Transversing chronal anomalies." He said as he walked over to the desk and looked at what she had been working on. "You want to be looking for a rip in the temporal aperture continuum."

"I'm sorry; I think you're going to have to dumb that down for me."

Moving over to the tabletop computer herself, she watched Emil touch the screen expanding the area of Smallville. Suddenly a blue dot started blinking over the area of the festival.

"A rip in the fabric of our universe." He elaborated.

"So that means where that spot is blinking," she pointed at the screen, "someone else came from the future?"

Emil nodded.

Thinking back to the story Callie had told her the first day they had met, her synapses started firing with information, connecting all sorts of dots.

"It was her. The ' _woman in black'_." Chloe said softly.

"The _woman in black_? You mentioned that she's—"

"The woman that attacked Callie, she came back and attacked her again." Chloe said, cutting him off.

"When I ran the tests before there were trace amounts of meteor rock in Callie's bloodstream."

"Meteor rock? If she has meteor rock in her system…Emil, you were there. Tell me what's happening to her."

Chloe could feel the panic rising within her. If Callie had kryptonite in her system it would mean her body was severely weakened, which made Emil having her blood make more sense.

"She's unconscious, possibly hallucinating. However, the substance in her bloodstream is making it possible for her body to be connected to what she experiences in her delusions."

"You mean, if she gets hurt then her body can actually feel it?"

"Not only feel it, it actually happens physically. It's serious."

Chloe's eyes widened in fear.

"What can we do? How do we wake her up?"

"In my professional opinion, it's up to Callie. But that doesn't mean I won't stop trying." He assured.

"Thank you, Emil. I'm sure that Clark, Lois, and especially Callie appreciate it."

He nodded then stared back at the screen. Suddenly, he cocked his head to the side as he studied it.

"What is it?" Chloe asked.

"Do you know the exact date that Callie arrived?"

"Uh, yeah, why?"

" _Hmmm_."

Typing quickly on the keyboard to his side, an image of a three-dimensional globe formed in front of them. Blue dots started to blink in various areas. The screen above the keyboard then started to list the locations and dates of the dots on the globe.

"What the…" Chloe gasped.

"According to this, the first rip occurred June 26."

"That's—that's the day she arrived, but what is all of this?" She asked, waving her hand at the globe.

"These are other rips and they seem to be getting more frequent." He explained.

"The _woman in black_ —she's unstable." She uttered.

"But now we have a way we can track her." He said.

Picking up the phone from the adjacent table she said, "I'll call Clark."

\Ƨ/

As her knuckles hit the wood, Callie suddenly felt panicked. What if no one was at the farm? What if an entirely different family was living inside? She hadn't really considered those options when she had planned on traveling to the one place in the new world she had woken up in that she considered a safe haven for herself and her brother. She took a deep breath. Whatever the outcome would be, she would make sure she kept her brother safe, which was what was important. And, in the meanwhile, she would devise a plan to get her mother out of Lex's clutches, as well.

Once her hand fell to her side, both brother and sister were startled when the door swung open. There, standing in a blue apron with fresh flour splattered on it, was the one person she was hoping would be there-

"Hi, Grandma." She waved sheepishly.

Her grandmother's surprised look worried Callie, as did the fragile state she looked to be in. She had more wrinkles on her face, her hair thin, pulled back, and completely gray, and her eyes lacked the warmth she was used to. Looking down at C.J., she expected him to be beaming at the sight of his grandmother, but his face mirrored her surprise.

"Oh my—come in, come in." Her grandmother instructed as she stepped out of the threshold and welcomed them in.

Still clutching her brother's hand, they walked through the front door. The sudden sound of a bark diverted Callie's attention. A slightly overweight yellow lab came running around the corner jumping on Callie. She lost the grip of her brother's hand as she fell to the ground, the pooch's tongue licking her face all over. Laughing Callie cupped the dog's face, pushing it from her own. Staring into his brown eyes she smiled and breathed, "Krypto."

The dog then began his assault with his tongue on her face again. She squealed then got the dog into a hug. "I missed you, too." She said before letting him go as he barked and went out the front door.

Composing herself, she pushed her body up off the ground and studied her surroundings. The house looked old. Well, of course she knew the house was old, but it lacked the warmth it usually had. The house was always alive and bright, in her time and back in 2009. In this world it seemed— uncared for and isolated.

Walking down the hallway, the sweet aroma of her grandmother's baking grabbed her sense of smell. Breathing in the scent, familiarity hit her.

' _At least some things haven't changed.'_

"I was baking cookies, if you kids are hungry." Her grandmother offered.

Turning around, Callie smiled brightly. Patting her stomach with her hand she said, "You have no idea."

"Good."

Her grandmother stared at the both of them. Placing the tips of her fingers to her mouth, Callie could see that she was holding back waves of emotion.

"You've both gotten so big. For a second I could hardly recognize you but, then again, I see your parents in you more than ever."

Walking closer, she placed a cold hand on Callie's face.

"My granddaughter. I see the determination in your eyes. I see _**him**_ in your eyes."

Callie cupped her hand over her grandmother's and shut her eyes. After a few moments she allowed her grandmother's hand to slip away and watched as she bent forward toward C.J..

"My grandson. You probably don't remember me much, you were so young…"

' _Don't remember her much? What?'_ Callie wondered.

"You've grown up into such a handsome boy, Christopher Jonathan Kent"

"Grams, what do you mean not remember much?" Callie asked.

Using the table, adorned with picture frames of the whole family, in the hall to sturdy herself as she realigned her body upright, she explained, "Well, Christopher was maybe four or five when Lex began to see your mother. A little while after that communication ceased."

"You mean you haven't seen us in like seven years? How can that be?"

"There were…circumstances. Your mother still sent me things, like grades and pictures. I read things in the paper. I think the hardest part was when they wouldn't let me see you in that facility."

Slowly her grandmother walked past them and headed back into the kitchen.

Following her, Callie gasped, "What? They kept you from seeing me?"

"Probably so I wouldn't interfere with your treatment. They knew that I never gave up hope either."

' _Hope for my father.'_ Callie concluded.

"I'm so sorry, Grams."

"What matters is that you're here now, _my grandchildren_." She smiled in astonishment but her smile faded when she added, "But, if you're here, something must be wrong. Are you in trouble?"

"Something like that." Callie replied.

The buzzer to the oven went off and her grandmother picked up her mitt and opened the oven door, pulling out a tray of chocolate chip cookies. Callie's stomach growled as the smell traveled through her nostrils. Her grandmother moved from the oven and placed the tray on the island, bringing the lovely scent that much closer. She then picked up her spatula and began to shovel each cookie off and place them on a big plate in the center.

Callie's hand reached to get one but her grandmother's hand lightly swatted at hers.

"They're still hot. Wait for them to cool down."

"Sorry, Grams."

She clicked her tongue in a ' _tsk_ ' noise and commented, "Your grandfather and father could never be patient either…"

Callie chuckled at the comment. Looking over her shoulder she spotted another batch of framed photos, this time on the top of the piano in the living room. Gravitating toward them, she saw that they were pictures of her father, both her father and mother, herself with her parents, then a few solo pictures of her as a little girl, and baby pictures of her brother. The last photo, however, did her in. She picked it up and her mouth went dry. There were four people in the picture, her grandmother, herself, her mother, and her brother on her mother's lap—a giant gap in the picture to the right of where her mother was sitting mimicked the gap she was feeling in her heart.

Looking down she saw a bunch of scrapbooks and photo albums of various colors and sizes stacked on the bench. Picking up a few she carried them over to the couch.

"Ceej, get over here."

Her brother had been very quiet and she hoped that maybe looking at pictures would make him less tense in the farmhouse. When she saw him appear, she patted the seat next to her. Opening up the book to the first page she saw a fourteen-year-old version of her father smiling up at her.

With her index finger she pointed to the picture and said, "This is Dad just a few years older than you are now."

She could see the mesmerization in his eyes and it made her heart jump.

"I kind of look like him."

"Not kind of," she corrected. "You _do_ look like him."

C.J. looked up at her, "So do you."

Callie smiled and flipped the page. It was a family photo of her grandparents and father. Pointing to her grandfather's face she said, "This is Grandpa." She then called out, "He's where we get our stubbornness from, right Grandma?"

Her grandmother chuckled and called back, "That's right."

Placing the album on C.J's lap, she reached for another one. Opening it up, a grin from ear to ear appeared on her face.

"This is one of my favorite photos of all time," she sighed.

It was a candid picture of her father and mother on a date in Metropolis. Her father's hand was extended outward making it obvious that he was the one taking the picture. Her mother was close to him, her head beside his. Her heart yearned for them. In this world, in her time, back in 2009, she yearned for them.

"Where are his glasses?" his voice asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Huh?" Callie asked, turning to him.

"Doesn't Dad wear glasses?"

A smile crept on her face from his use of ' _doesn't_ '. Present tense.

"Oh, right," she nodded, "well, that came a little later."

Turning the page again, there was another photo of her parents. This time they looked more formal, her mother in a teal trench coat, her hair all done, and her father in a suit and tie. This time her mother's hand was extended as she looked at the camera, while her father looked at her instead of the lens. On the adjacent page was a photo of her father in his Crow's jacket and her mother in a yellow sundress, a banner for Smallville High in the background. Underneath that photo was a newspaper clipping of the Blur saving the falling globe that had been blasted by a bomb off of the roof of the Daily Planet.

"Who's ' _The Blur'_?" C.J. asked.

"Dad," Callie simply said. "Before he got the _super_ title," she explained.

"Oh. No one really talks about that, you know? I think they're afraid to." He softly commented.

"I'm sure Lex had a hand in that." Callie grimly replied.

Placing that album on the coffee table, she opened the last one she had grabbed. Opening it she read the engagement announcement of _Lois_ _Lane & Clark Kent_ and gazed at the pictures from their engagement party. Smiling, she flipped the page and lightly touched the wedding photos. She could see C.J. taking quick peeks at the pages then returning his gaze to the book he had on his lap. Flipping further there were some photos of her mother pregnant—which she was surprised survived—and then a photo of her father holding her as a baby. As she felt the mists in her eyes reach waterfall level she slammed the book shut and stood up, startling C.J. and making Krypto stop in his tracks as he entered the living room from the front door.

"You keep looking at those. I need to talk to Grams for a sec."

Her brother nodded, hardly paying attention to her as he was focused on the album once again. Moving around the couch she made her way to the island and sat on one of the stools. Her elbows were on the counter and she situated her head on her palms. She glanced around the kitchen, not much was different just much older and breaking. She sighed and shifted her eyes to her grandmother who was still arranging the cookies as they cooled.

"Grams, this isn't right."

"What isn't right, dear?" She asked, looking up at her.

"This…everything." She removed her head from the palms and used her hand to motion at the room. Slamming her hand back down she continued, "It isn't right. This isn't the way it's supposed to go."

Her grandmother looked at her perplexed. Callie figured she would get that type of reaction.

"This is going to sound strange, but only mere hours ago I was partying like it was 2009. I somehow got blasted into the past by some woman in black, then— after finally finding a comfort zone at the farm with my ghosts of parents' past— some psychic decided to blow weird dust in my face and I woke up back in my own time except—it's all wrong."

Her grandmother just looked at her with a blank stare. She wasn't looking at her like she was crazy, which Callie thought would be a given since it seemed the person she replaced in this world had spent some time with white padded walls.

"Isn't that weird? Aren't you going to go all _oooh_ and call the nice men in lab coats with nets on a stick to come get me?"

She waited for a reaction and what she got was kind, gentle blue eyes and a sweet smile. She placed her hand on top of Callie's and gave it a small squeeze.

"Sweetie, I've lived in Smallville for a long time now. I've heard and _seen_ stranger things."

"True." Callie nodded.

"So, how do you think you got here?"

Callie sighed, "That's the thing. I don't know. I felt all sick and passed out. I mean, maybe that dust had some kind of ability to send me to an alternate universe, because _**this**_ is not the future. That much I'm sure."

"There has to be a clue. Anything you noticed off or out of place?"

"Um, everything?"

"I realize that, but anything else?"

Running her fingers through her hair in frustration she said, "No, it's everything. Everything that I've encountered is so beyond wrong, it isn't even funny. My mom with Lex? It's not for love, I'll tell you much, so she must have gotten in too deep on a story or something. And Dad is supposed to be dead? C.J. never got to know him?" lifting up her arm she pointed to her bracelet, "And I have no powers? It's like everything that I could—."

She stopped when she realized the next word she was about to say.

"Everything you could, what dear?"

"Fear. Everything that I could _fear_ —Grams, that's it. I did this…I'm _doing_ this."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"This world isn't the future or possibly even an alt world. I think I created it." She hopped off the stool and started to slightly pace in front of the island as she pieced information together. "That psychic…she asked what I feared." Slamming her hand on the table she said, "The woman in black, she did this. She was the psychic. This is some kind of sick game."

"Game?"

"There has to be some kind of catch. Being here—it must do _something._ I don't have my powers so I can't defend myself properly.—She's trying to kill me…or _I'm_ trying to kill me. I must _really_ hate myself…"

"Callie…"

Shaking her head she got back on track, "Bottom line is, this isn't going to stop. I need to get you and C.J. out of here. It's only a matter of time before Lex and his henchmen figure out we're here. Then I need to get Mom away from him."

"How are you going to do that?"

Callie started to smirk as she looked out the kitchen window towards the red, dilapidated structure outside next to the house. Her eyes traveled back to her grandmother's intrigued ones.

"Do you still have that anniversary gift of Dad's in the barn?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's still there."

"Good." Grabbing a cookie she bit a piece of it off and said, "Then I have a plan."

\S/

Clark slowly entered the house through the front door. Standing at the foot of the stairs he looked up and x-rayed the wall. He could see Lois lying in the bed brushing wet hair from Callie's sweaty forehead. Reverting back to regular vision he took a deep breath. He didn't know how he was going to tell Lois what the psychic told him. How was he going to tell her there was nothing they could do?

Taking each step at a time, he reached the top and headed for his bedroom. Leaning against the doorframe he watched as Lois' eyes journeyed from Callie's face and met his. He gave her a tiny grin; it was all that he could muster with what was weighing on him. Lois grinned back at him, a sparkle returning to her hazel eyes that had been lost since Callie had gotten sick. Seeing it gave him strength for what he was about to relay to her.

Gliding his feet across the floor, he made it to the bed and sat on the opposite side of Callie. He noticed that Lois was clutching the Elmo doll from the festival between the two of them, something he had missed when he x-rayed the room. Extending his body on the bed, he was completely aligned with their bodies. Reaching over Callie, he placed his hand over the one Lois was using to clutch the Elmo doll. She let go of the doll and turned her hand over to clamp on to his. Their eyes met again as they gazed at each other over Callie's head.

There was silence for a little while longer before Clark uttered, "The psychic that you saw, she wasn't the one to do this to Callie."

He watched as Lois swallowed back slowly and clutched his hand harder. His heart broke even more. He didn't know how that was possible, but it did. He was supposed to be strong, possibly the strongest man on Earth, but at that moment he felt so weak and small. This was his family. He was supposed to protect them. Instead all he could do was sit and watch as two of the most important people in his life were suffering.

"So, we still don't know who did this." She stated.

Clark shook his head in defeat, "No, we don't."

Lois nodded her head sadly. She looked at Callie then back up at him, fresh tears in her eyes.

"Did she say _anything_ that could help her?"

"All she said was that the only thing we can do is give her strength."

"So, all we can do is just watch her as she goes through this?"

Her eyes were piercing into his, pleading with him for hope that there was something else, anything else. He shifted his gaze to look down at Callie's face. She was still, almost content. He hoped she would stay that way for a while. Any look of pain on her face would do him in, he knew that.

Letting out a frustrated breath he spoke, "She has to work through her fears alone. The psychic said she's suspended between two worlds. That she has to make a sacrifice and face her fears."

" _Sacrifice_?"

Clark could hear the trepidation in her voice. When he had first heard that word come out of the Madame Savita's mouth pangs of terror had coursed through his body. There was no knowing how large or small the sacrifice would be and that terrified him most of all.

Closing his eyes, he let his head fall forward so that it was leaning against the side of Callie's. His answer to Lois was only a slight nod as he fought back emotions that wanted to erupt inside of him. He could feel Lois squeeze his hand harder. He wasn't sure if she was doing it for her or for him, but the bottom line was the little gesture was all he needed. He wasn't alone in this. She had spoken those words earlier to him and it was in these little gestures that those words were sinking in completely. All the weight didn't have to be on his shoulders. They could get through this, together.

"Wait, Clark, you said that the psychic told you that she was between two worlds, right?"

Clark opened his eyes and perked his head up to look at her.

"Yeah, she did."

"Well, if she's between two worlds, then she's still here. She's reacted to things we've done and I firmly believe that she can hear us, too. So maybe, just maybe, if we encourage her to fight her fears, if she knows she's not alone, then maybe…"

Now it was Clark's turn to squeeze Lois' hand. She smiled at him and he smiled back. They both moved closer to Callie, creating a cocoon of protection.

"Come back to us soon. We'll give you whatever strength you need." Lois whispered.

"We're right here with you, Callie. Conquer your fears." Clark followed.

Callie's mouth moved slightly, as if she was trying to speak but no words were coming out. Then something miraculous happened, she opened her eyes.

Clark and Lois both gasped aloud. However, as soon as Callie's eyes opened they were closed again. They both looked at each other and they smiled brighter.

"Did you—did you see that?" Lois exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Yeah, Lois, I was right here." He chuckled.

"Right, I mean, right…" she said embarrassed.

Pulling away her hand from Clark's, she brought it to the side of Callie's face.

"You're going to be okay." She whispered.

He watched as she moved her hand to feel Callie's forehead and grimaced.

"She's still warm. I think I need to get the cold compress again."

As Clark was about to move his hand to Lois' shoulder to give it a comforting squeeze she moved off the bed, grabbing the bowl and face cloth and brushing away the wires from the machinery still beside her side of the bed.

When she left the room his phone started to ring in his back pocket. Retrieving it he saw that it was Chloe. Quickly he hit the answer key and brought the phone to his ear. Climbing off the bed he leaned forward against the window preparing himself for whatever he was about to hear.

"Hey, Chloe. Please tell me you have good news."

"As good as good news can be."

A spring of hope jumped through his veins. First, Callie showed signs of still being with them and now Chloe was calling with good news.

"And…?" Clark pressed.

"Well, first, I've sent another APB out on Zod and I have backup coming in."

Clark moved from the window back over to the bed and sat in Lois' previous seat.

"Dinah, Bart, and Victor?" Clark asked.

"Mmhm. They all responded, which I'm grateful for. But, there is something else. Emil was able to detect something from the festival."

"Detect what?" Clark asked, jumping to his feet.

"I don't know if you're going to believe this, but it was a rip in the fracture of time."

"What?"

"Exactly my reaction, that is, until Emil explained that there was one identical to it on June 26th, the day when someone opened up a portal and Callie crashed into the roof of the barn; _Someone,_ being the key word."

Pacing again, he found himself walking from the edge of the bed to the window and back again.

"The woman she talked about." He said in a low voice.

"The woman in black." Chloe answered.

"So, she did this? She put Callie in this state?"

"Yes. And there's something else."

"What?"

"There's kryptonite in her system. It's what's making her weak and susceptible. But, Clark, we can track this woman. She's not on the grid now bu—."

"Call me when she surfaces." He said then hung up.

He knew that he was rude in doing that, not even giving Chloe a 'thank you', but after what he just heard he couldn't function properly. He could only feel the anger boiling in his blood. He wanted to punch the wall or destroy furniture, but refrained in doing so. The _Woman in Black_ had done this; the woman who had chucked Callie through time and ripped her away from her family. She was trying to kill her, but why? What was the purpose?

' _Why would anyone want to hurt someone you love?'_ A voice said. It wasn't so much asking a question but providing a clue to the answer.

"She wants to get to me." He whispered.

Now it was clearer than ever. Callie was a message.

"Please tell me that the pained look on your face is because you stubbed your toe and it's not about Callie's condition." Lois' voice pleaded from the doorway.

Clearing his throat he said, "No, I, uh, I just got a call from Chloe. I asked her to check to see if there was anything strange that happened at the festival that we couldn't find out on our own."

"Always good to have a computer whiz on speed dial," she said. "Well, what did she say?"

How was he going to explain this all to her? Everything was going to have to come out sooner or later, but with emotions running high and the tension that surrounded Callie's condition, Clark didn't want to add something else that could make her break, no matter how strong he knew she was.

Finding the vaguest words he could, he replied, "We have a lead."

\Ƨ/

Callie stood in the bedroom that belonged to her father while he was growing up. In her time, her world, it looked completely different. In her world, it was her room when she stayed at the farm. Fingering pictures on the desk she walked over to the closet and pulled it open out of curiosity. Some of his clothes were still hanging up, though there were few. She looked through each article of clothing brushing her fingertips against the plaid and dress shirts. When she got the back of the closet she saw a worn red jacket. Pulling it off the hanger she brought it out into the light.

She remembered the jacket from pictures, personally seeing it worn in 2009, a blue T-shirt always under it. Putting her right arm in the sleeve, then her left, she pulled the jacket on. Her body swam in the jacket, but she felt warmth emanating from it. Walking over to the bed, she lied in the middle and stared at the ceiling, clinging to the jacket and the warmth. It was almost as if arms were around her at that moment. His arms, her mother's arms, both, it didn't matter. What mattered was she didn't feel alone. She closed her eyes and imagined the both of them on either side of her body, holding her like they did when she was a young child and had snuck into their bed after having a bad dream.

" _Come back to us soon_. _We'll give you whatever strength you need."_

"Mom?" she whispered.

" _We're right here with you, Callie. Conquer your fears._ "

"Dad?"

Opening her eyes slowly, she could have sworn for a second that she saw her parents' faces but in the blur of another second they were gone.

"You're here, aren't you?" she said.

"Is everything okay?" Her grandmother asked from the doorway, causing her to jump slightly.

"Yeah." She assured her.

"It's been 15 minutes."

"Good." She said, hopping off the bed. "Hopefully, I'll get through this time."

Moving past her grandmother, Callie trotted down the stairs and headed straight for her grandmother's out of date portable phone—well out of date in terms of 2032. Picking it up she turned the phone on and pressed zero.

"City please." An automated voice asked.

"Gotham."

"Name."

"Wayne Enterprises."

"Connecting now."

Callie began to pace the length of the couch, reaching one end and then walking to the other. It felt like waiting an eternity before she heard the mechanical voice of a woman talking.

"Hello, and thank you for calling Wayne Enterprises. If you know the extension of the person you are trying to reach, dial it now. If you would like a list ple—."

Callie quickly dialed the extension she had dialed fifteen minutes prior and listened as the extension rang.

"Bruce Wayne's office, how may I help you?" A female voice asked.

"Hi, I'd like to speak to Bruce Wayne."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne is in a meeting."

"Yeah, you see, I was told that already fifteen minutes ago and he would be done in that amount of time and here it is…fifteen minutes later."

"I'm sorry, but he is still in the meeting."

"Well this is urgent, so patch me through." Callie pushed.

"I can take your name."

"No, you've already taken my name. I want to talk to Bruce. Just tell him Callie needs to talk to him."

"I'm sorry, Kelly, but I can't help you."

"My name is not _Kelly_ , it is Callie—C-A-L-L-I-E. And I am begging you—this is life or death here."

"I'm sorry—"

"I swear if you say you're sorry one more time…" Callie took a deep breath and calmed herself, "Look, just tell him that I have information about Clark Kent. C-L-A-R-K K-E-N-T. Clark Kent. If he still doesn't want to get out of his ' _meeting'_ I won't call again."

There was a beat over the phone then she heard the woman reply, "Hold on one moment."

"THANK YOU!" She exclaimed with a sigh of relief and slapping her hand at her side.

A gravelly voice then came on the line and barked, "Who is this?"

"Bruce, it's Callie."

"Callie? Kent's daughter?"

"Yes. I need to talk to you."

There was a bout of silence, so being uncomfortable with it Callie just kept talking.

"My father is alive. I know I probably sound crazy, and Lex probably has documents to back it up, but it's true." She put her hand in her back pocket and pulled out the pocket scanner she had placed there. "And I have proof. But the thing is, Lex has probably dialed 1-800-Henchmen and they are most likely on their way to where I am. I have to do everything I can to help my family. I need _your_ help."

"What kind of help?" He gruffly asked.

"Helicopter help."

"Excuse me?"

"I need to get my brother and grandmother to safety…and my dog, too." She said, quickly adding the last part. "A car isn't fast enough and too easy to trace. I need a helicopter and your secret hideout."

"I can't help you."

"Then don't help _me_ , help _my father_. You're like brothers. He needs you, Bruce. He's out there, alive. I can get out of Dodge and get to him, but I won't be able to do it if I'm worrying about the safety of the rest of my family. At least if I know you've got them I can go forth with my plan. So please…what do you say?"

She heard him sigh and reply, "Where are you?"

Callie smiled and said, "Smallville, the Kent farm."

"I'll have a helicopter there within the hour."

"Just to cover bases…do you remember when I was young and you tucked me in that one night…um, after he was—missing?"

She could hear Bruce take a beat, she envisioned him nodding, and then heard him say, "I remember."

"The story you read me, that's the code word, so I know that whoever you're sending is legit."

"I understand."

"Oh and Bruce—I do need one more favor."

"What kind of favor?" He asked hesitantly.

"How updated is your contacts list?"

\S/

Chloe clicked her phone off and looked at the stained glass window. She couldn't imagine what Clark had to be feeling or what Lois was feeling. The two of them were probably hovering over Callie and now she had just divulged information to Clark telling him that Callie was poisoned with kryptonite by some hag from the future. The kryptonite fact alone sent shivers down Chloe's spine. What Clark must be thinking…

Chloe shook her head and looked back at her computer screen. There had been no additional rips and no indication of where the _Woman in Black_ could be. With all the pain this woman had been causing the people closest to her, she wanted a piece of her herself. Though, she didn't have superpowers and this woman would probably be able to wipe the floor with her. Letting out a frustrated breath she resigned herself to the fact that the best thing she could do in this situation was find the woman first.

"I got your S.O.S. I was in a meeting so I couldn't get here right away. What's going on?" Oliver voiced asked as he walked through the entrance.

Chloe twisted her chair around to face him. He had walked in with a smile but when he caught the conflicted look on Chloe's face his smile quickly disappeared.

"Chloe, what is it?"

"It's Callie."

Chloe hated the face Oliver made after she said that. She had just verbally sucker punched him in the gut.

"Wha—what do you mean it's Callie? Is she okay?" He asked, moving closer to her.

Chloe's gaze fell to the floor then bounced back up to his pained one.

' _Just add another person to a casualty list of pain._ '

"She's sick. The woman who attacked her on the day she got here…she attacked again, at the Smallville Harvest Festival."

"Sick how?"

Chloe heard the sound of machinery being moved and diverted her eyes above her. Emil was moving things around then, as he grabbed some supplies, he came down the stairs holding two vials of something Chloe couldn't identify. Once he hit the ground he walked over to the both of them.

"Callie seems to be a victim of her own mind." Emil explained.

"I don't understand." Oliver said.

"She's stuck in a dream-state. She is so convinced at what she is experiencing that her body is reacting as if what she is seeing is real."

"So, if she gets hurt while in her _dream-state_ she gets hurt for real?"

"Exactly." Emil said.

Oliver nodded, obviously letting all the information sink in.

"As great as the technology is here, I do need other supplies at my lab. Contact me with any updates."

"Will do, Dr. Hamilton." Chloe said as Emil packed up what he needed. He gave a simple wave then headed out the door.

"What do you need me to do?" Oliver asked.

Grabbing a stack of paper, Chloe moved from her seat towards the cabinet behind her. She needed to physically start doing something or she would go insane. She didn't want to show panic, especially being in Watchtower, so she shuffled the papers so her hands were occupied. It wasn't only the Callie thing that was bugging her, but something else Clark had mentioned in his first call to her, before everything had happened.

' _Zod._ ' She thought.

Turning to Oliver she took a deep breath and said, "Prior to everything happening with Callie, Clark called me from the festival. He thought he saw Zod."

Oliver's eyes widened. "Zod?"

Chloe nodded and continued, "With Clark being occupied at the moment, I think it would be best if we had someone out on the streets not only patrolling for the common criminal, but to see if there is evidence to that being right. If Zod is out there, then…with Clark so…."

"Zod might decide to take advantage of our division and conquer. Got it. Let me just get my gear."

As Oliver turned away and headed for the tall, metal double door cabinet on the far wall, Chloe said, "I've contacted Dinah, Bart, and Victor about the latest sighting. If anything is to happen, you'll have backup."

"Everything squared away in our cozy costumed family, now?" He asked as he pulled out his crossbow.

"It's a work in progress." She replied.

"Look if anything happens to Callie while I'm out there…"

"I'll let you know right away." She assured him.

"She's one tough kid." He said fondly. "Whatever she's going through, I'm sure she'll figure it out."

"She does seem resourceful that way." Chloe smiled, memories of Callie's courage and skills flooding her brain.

"And a force to be reckoned with. You know she kicked me the first time I met her."

They both laughed at that fact, but the feeling ceased when the reality of her illness took the place of the memories they were sharing.

"She's going to be okay." He said.

"Yeah, she's going to be okay." She repeated, losing some of the conviction in her voice.

Though, Chloe thought, maybe if they kept saying it, it would have to be true.

\Ƨ/

Callie helped her grandmother lift the bags she had packed and placed it by the door. After her phone call with Bruce, time was spent getting important necessities together. Callie moved around the house as fast she could without superspeed and packed anything she thought that her grandmother and brother would need. It got to the point where the amount of bags she had would probably weigh down the helicopter, so after going through the items again she deemed they were ready.

"All set?" Callie asked.

"Are you going to be alright?" her grandmother countered.

"I'm the daughter of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, what do you think?" She stated with a smile.

Her grandmother smirked and brought her in for a hug saying, "He's so proud of you. I know it."

Just then she heard C.J. trot down the stairs, a familiar red backpack with a yellow tag that had a "C" on it in tow.

"I saw this and thought we could use it." He said holding it up.

"Good idea. We need something to put the cookies in, right?" Callie winked.

Her brother smiled and brought the bag over to the island. Once he placed it there, he then stopped and walked into the living room, lifting up an album from the pile stacked on the coffee table.

"Can I bring this with us, Grandma?" he asked.

"Of course you can."

Callie walked over to the piano and lifted up the picture she adored of her parents and a picture of a young C.J.. Turning to her grandma she asked, "Can I?"

Her grandmother nodded and Callie turned each frame over, one at a time, and retrieved both photos. She folded them carefully and placed them in her front pocket.

"Thanks," she smiled when she was done.

A whirring noise started to grow louder and louder throughout the house, startling the occupants. Everyone rushed over to the kitchen window and watched as a dark black dot in the sky began to increase in size as it descended over the farm.

"I think our ride is here." Her grandmother called out over the noise.

Opening the kitchen door, the wind started to pick up. Hurrying out of the house, they darted out, Krypto not far behind, into the barren field and waited for the helicopter to land. The velocity of the propellers sent the air into overdrive; everyone's hair was blowing all over the place, skin and clothes were flapping, and each of them held onto the bags and stuck their feet into the ground so they wouldn't blow away.

As the helicopter touched down on the ground, the _WE_ painted on the side became more visible. The door opened and revealed another familiar face for Callie. The guy jumped out, wearing a black T-shirt and slacks, and walked to them.

"My name is Tim. Bruce sent me."

"Code word?" Callie asked.

"Velveteen Rabbit."

Callie nodded and turned to her family. "We're good." Handing the bags to Tim and turned to her brother and said, "Ceej, hop in first with Krypto."

He nodded and with Tim's help entered the helicopter along with the dog.

"He thinks you're coming too, you know." Her grandmother said, trying to raise her voice over the noise.

"I know. If he didn't, he might not go." Callie yelled as hair whipped in her face.

"You be careful." She commanded.

"I will."

Her grandmother pulled her in for a hug and kissed the side of her face. Tim helped her into the helicopter and Callie's eyes met her brother's through the small window. Now he knew something was wrong. Tim shut the door, leaving her outside alone. C.J. jumped over the seats to the window, slamming the palm of his hand against it.

"Callie!" He screamed.

Callie walked up the window and placed her own palm over his, the cold glass the only division between them.

"I have to stay. You'll be safe!" She yelled.

"Please don't leave me!" he pleaded.

"I never will. I'll be with you the whole time! Just like Mom and Dad are, too."

"Callie!" he cried again.

"Take care of Grams." She ordered.

Callie removed her palm from the glass and wiped her eyes. Then she hit the side of the helicopter and screamed, "GO!" The helicopter started to lift off as she backed away, her brother still up against the window staring down at her.

"It's for your own good, little man." She whispered into the air.

Once the helicopter was a dot in the sky again she ran back towards the house to get her own secret bag she had packed. Now that her grandmother and brother were out of harm's way, her plan could move forward. Hugging the red jacket around her she walked into the kitchen. Looking down at her wrist her blood boiled at the sight of her bracelet.

Moving to the counter behind her she spotted a knife block. Lifting out one of them, the sunlight gleamed on it, almost blinding her. She was tempted to use it to try and break though the metal somehow—or maybe she could use the electric saw from the barn, if it was still there—

"What am I thinking? That's right, Callie. How about we just cut your whole wrist off and have the bracelet slide down. That'll be fun… You get your powers back but lose a hand, Skywalker." She threw the knife down and then thought for a second. "Though, if my power comes back and I heal, would my hand grow back?" She slapped forehead and said, "What the hell am I saying? I'm part Kryptonian, not lizard. Get it together, Kent."

Suddenly a creak on the floorboard cut through the silence in the house. Her eyes widened; she wasn't alone and before she knew it arms grabbed around her waist from behind her. She screamed out as she struggled to get out of the perpetrator's grasp. She managed to get her right arm free and elbowed the person in the face. She turned around and saw a man in a suit and black sunglasses cupping his nose.

"I'm guessing Lex sent you?"

The man growled at her, still cupping his nose. Rolling her eyes at his response, she roundhouse kicked the man, sending him into the door and knocking him out as he fell through the screen door and onto the porch with a _thud_.

Running to get her bag, another man appeared, coming around the corner from into the living room. Callie stopped in her tracks as the henchman lunged for her. Callie jumped onto the couch, then back onto the floor, kicking the hassock from the chair in the man's path. He tripped over it, falling onto the coffee table, breaking it. Callie then maneuvered past the chair and headed for the steps. As she was about five steps up, a hand caught her foot, sending her body forward. Her face hit a step, causing her lip to split open. She kicked her foot, hit him in the face, but he still moved up, the hand moving from her foot, up her leg, and harshly grabbing her waist.

"Stop moving!" he snarled.

She didn't obey, of course and with all her strength she flipped her body over. Since his body was on her back the action sent him into the banister, splintering the wood as it cracked and sending him onto the foyer floor. As good as the plan was the henchman's hand still had a tight grasp on Callie and she fell with him. His body broke her fall as he groaned in pain. She then punched him in the face and ran for the stairs once more.

She ran into the bathroom, barricading it with whatever she could move so no one else could get in in case more of Lex's men were in the house. She headed to the window, opened it up and climbed onto the small roofed piece of house below her. She looked down and started to fear her jump.

"This plan of escape was so much better in my head."

Jumping down, the force of her feet hitting the ground was too much and she fell over rolling a time or two. Coughing as dirt went up her nose she pushed herself up, rubbed her hurting ankles, and rushed to the barn. She ran inside and straight to an object covered by cloth right next to the tractor. Ripping the cover away she coughed as a vast amount of dust hit the air, but as she swatted it away the object of her operation caught her eye and made her smile.

"Hello, Harley." She breathed lovingly.

Her hand glided along the bike's smooth, shiny, vivid black finish and black steel lace. It was her father's bike, an anniversary present and inside joke between her parents. She had always admired the bike, admiring it so much she got in trouble when she tried to ride it at age seven, and now it was a part of her plan.

Moving her left hand over the leather seat, she climbed onto the bike and placed her hands on the handlebars, getting a feel for the bike.

"Awesome."

Behind her on the workbench she saw a helmet also matted with dust. Extending her body she reached for it and grabbed it. Placing it in her lap, she wiped off the clumped up dust then lifted it over her head saying, "Safety first."

Fitting the helmet on head, she put her feet on the ground, hit the push button and started the bike, like she had seen her father do in the past. She listened to the rumbling of the engine. The roaring echoed in the barn and she could hear it resonate with the sound of freedom.

"So awesome."

Suddenly, the light that had been shining through the open barn door disappeared. Looking up she saw that body was blocking it and recognized it was the guy she had kicked through the door a few minutes prior.

"You're not going anywhere." He ordered.

"Wanna bet?" She challenged.

Hitting the gas, she drove the bike straight toward him. He dove out of the way, making a clear path for her to get to the driveway. Riding down the driveway she made it to the road, making a sharp right—the direction out of Smallville and toward Metropolis.

About a quarter mile down the road she could see something black in the distance coming toward her way. As the two vehicles came closer she could distinguish that the 'something coming' was a limo. It swerved into her lane and the two were on verge of colliding.

' _You want to play Chicken, huh? I'm game.'_ She thought.

The two vehicles came closer and closer until the limo suddenly stopped on an angle, blocking the entire roadway. Coming to a quick halt, the pressure sent the back of the bike up. When she landed back on the ground, she watched as the back door of the limo opened. A bald head soon popped out. Taking her helmet off, they both stared at each other.

"Well, the jig is up, the news is out, you finally found me."

"Get in." He said.

"You didn't say the magic word. Oh, well." She shrugged.

Callie was in the middle of putting her helmet back on when she saw Lex forcefully pull something out of the limo. Her eyes widened when she saw that the something was actually a _someone_ , her mother to be exact. She watched as her mother winced in pain from his grasp.

"Callie!" She called out.

"Let me rephrase. Get in, NOW!" Lex said.

Slowly, Callie got off the bike and rolled it to the side of the road. Taking a step at a time, she scowled as she walked toward them. Once she was at the car door, he threw her mother back in then grabbed her and threw her in more forcefully. She landed on her side on the leather seats, banging her shoulder in them. Her mother helped her up and they embraced each other in a hug.

"Are you okay?" Her mother asked, brushing hair out of Callie's face.

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

She felt the car move as Lex got back in and sat across from them, slamming the door shut. Her nose picked up a stench coming off of him and realized that he was partially drunk.

"Put out your arms." He demanded.

"Lex, please don't do—" her mother began to beg.

Cutting her off, he shouted, "Shut up, Lois!" Turning back to Callie he commanded, "Put. Out. Your. Arms."

Callie looked over at her mother's defeated face and felt her blood boiling again. No one talked to Lois Lane-Kent like that. To Lex's surprise, Callie conceded quickly and lifted her arms in front of him slowly and willingly.

Opening a black bag to his left, Lex pulled out a pair of white handcuffs. They were two inches thick and looked big enough to cover her entire wrists, a Lex Corp logo etched on the side. Pressing a button, the top of the cuffs lifted open. He placed them under her arms and clamped them shut. She wiggled her wrists, trying to find some room in the cuffs, to see if she could somehow slip out of them later, but they were too tight.

"Where's your brother?" Lex asked, grabbing a glass and bottle of Scotch from the mini-bar.

' _Like you need more of that._ ' She commented in her head as he poured the liquid into his glass.

"Safe now." She answered flatly.

"I have to hand it to you. You put my men on quite the goose chase for a little bit. Your mistake though was heading back here." He said as he took a swig.

"Was it really a mistake?" She challenged slyly.

He seemed a bit taken aback by her answer, but his demeanor quickly reverted back. She smirked and leaned back in the seat. She looked to her left and watched as they drove past all the corn stalks and farmland. She quietly began to hum but the humming grew louder and louder until she was actually singing song lyrics.

"When are you going to come down? When are you going to learn? I should have stayed on the farm, I should have listened to my old man." Her gaze turned to Lex and she continued, "You know you can't hold me forever, I didn't sign up to you..."

"Shut up." He interrupted.

He grimaced at her and she shrugged. Deciding she wasn't going to obey his command she decided on another tune.

She began to hum the bars to a second song. She banged the handcuffed part of her arms against the door to the beat and sang, "Here I go again on my own. Going down the road I've ever known. Like a drifter I was born to walk alone. And I've made up my mind. I ain't wasting no more—"

"Shut up!" Lex shouted louder, interrupting her again.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Not a fan of the power ballad either?" She turned to her mother and said, "He obviously doesn't know good music, huh? I mean even Dad would sing along."

"Callie, what are you doing?" Her mother whispered.

Callie winked then turned to face Lex. She folded her handcuffed hands in her lap.

"Why are you wearing that _thing?_ That red jacket…"

"Just letting my inner _Rebel Without A Cause_ out." She shrugged as she was reveling in the fact wearing her father's jacket was pissing him off. After a beat she then said, "You know Lex, I've always had a secret wish about you."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "I always wished that your parents had named you Richard."

"And why's that?"

"Because then I'd have so much satisfaction in calling you _Dick._ " She paused for a moment then said, "No, wait, I get satisfaction in calling you that anyway. _Dick."_

"Clever."

Callie shrugged, "I thought so. To be honest, I have several more."

He shook his head and said, "I knew you were going to be a problem the minute you got out of the psychiatric unit. I knew you weren't ready. You and your _resistance_."

"I guess I didn't conform like you wanted, huh? Just to let you know, what I'm _resisting_ at the moment is the urge to kick you in the face. And if my father was here right now he would back me up."

"Conform like I wanted? With your incessant babbling about your father which never seems to stop? Gee, why would I want that to end?" He sneered.

"Lex." Her mother piped in but with glare from Lex she relented and sunk in her seat.

That was the last straw for Callie.

"The thing is how could you expect me to stop talking about him? I mean look at you. I need to keep alive the memory of someone decent, someone pure and good…someone so much better than _you_."

Lex threw his glass against the car door, sending shards of glass through the air and all over the floor.

"Well, I have one up on Clark Kent because I'm alive and he's dead." He seethed.

"Maybe." She knowingly spat back.

Lex sneered and went to hit Callie but she swiftly moved, making him miss. His being drunk also inhibited his coordination so it was easier to do so. He fell back into his seat and proceeded to pour himself yet another drink.

"And you just made my point. My father never hit me. Score one million for Kent."

She could see Lex contemplating on coming after her again or come up with some retort, but as he leaned forward the limo came to a sudden stop, causing everyone to move in their seats. The window dividing the back of the car to the front started to come down and Callie could see something in the roadway.

"Sir, we may have a problem." The driver said.

Angrily, Lex turned to the window and spat out, "What is it?"

"There's a woman in the middle of the road."

"Well then, go around her!"

"I tried, but she keeps walking in front of the car."

Callie grinned. ' _Show time,_ ' she thought.

She watched as the woman outside, in a black cloak, maneuvered her way in front of the car again. The hood of the cloak slightly moved and their eyes connected. Callie nodded then turned to her mother.

"Get down!" She screamed as she dove over her mother's body, shielding her front what she knew was going to happen.

A high pitched wail sent shockwaves through the air and the car. The windshield cracked, the headlights busted, and the windows on the doors shattered around them. The door on her mother's side opened and a figure covered in red, with a lightning bolt on his chest, pulled her mother out. She could feel her mother place something in her hand as she uttered the words "For our world. See you later alligator," then she was gone in a flash.

Callie looked down at the silver wedding band that was dangling from a chain. Her mother must have been wearing it the entire time. The chain was still intact so she put over her head and let the silver band dangle over her black shirt.

Clutching the ring she answered, "In a while crocodile."

Crawling back up in the seat, she heard Lex groan as he wiped the shattered glass from his clothes.

"You little—."

Before he could finish, suddenly, the door on her side opened up. A man, wearing silver and black and red tinted glasses, ripped the door from its hinges.

' _Cyborg.'_ She thought.

"You." Lex said.

Cyborg reached in and grabbed her hands, breaking the cuffs in a snap. Her arms were free once again and rubbed her wrists as she glared at Lex.

"Hey, Lex." Callie said, gaining his attention back. "What did the senior ask his Prom date?"

His face was covered in confusion but his eyes soon widened as her arm pulled back to slam into his face.

"Would you like some punch?"

She let out a giggle as Cyborg pulled her out of the car and down the side of the road into the cover of corn stalks.

"Glad you got my message." She breathed out.

"Glad to see you're okay." He nodded.

Callie started to extend her arm with the bracelet, hoping that Victor could rip it off with his strength like he did the handcuffs. As she was about to open her mouth, gunshots rang out in the dead air. She and Victor fell into the corn stalks; she looked through all of the green and saw Lex standing outside the limo aiming his gun into the pasture.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." He said waving the gun in the air.

"Vic! Vic!" She said as she ducked down to the ground.

He had been hit, she didn't know how but he had been. There was a dark liquid pouring out of him and seeping into the ground. She placed her hands over the wound but the liquid seeped through the cracks of her fingers. She pulled some of the vegetation and put the leaves of the stalks on the wound, not knowing what else to use. She then shed her red jacket and placed it over Victor's body. She tried to think of something else to do but her mind was going blank.

"You….have….to…go…." He managed to say.

"No! I'm not going without you. We'll get the oil can for you there, Tinman, and you'll be as good as new."

She tried to lift him up but he cried out in pain. She quickly looked back to the limo and watched as Lex turned his head in their direction. The scream had signaled to him where they were.

"Go…" Victor said again, his face grimacing in pain.

"But...no man left behind…"

He let out a chuckle as he said, "I'm…more…machine…than…man…" He gasped out a breath and said, "Go…he's…waiting…"

She didn't need to question about who the "he" was. She whispered an apology as she left his side, crouching down and moving through the green. There was so much green. She could hear them coming behind her. Shots were ringing, but she kept moving. The plants around her seemed to be getting taller and taller so she stood erect and started to run. She ran as fast as she could, dodging bullets. One had grazed her arm and she let out a yelp, but she kept moving, cupping her upper left arm with her right hand. She kept pushing herself, moving as fast as her legs could carry her. Soon the green had turned to brown and she wasn't running past corn stalks but oak trees. Once she made it beyond the trees, she was back in a familiar place. A place she had been in hours prior. She was in the cemetery.

\S/

Lois checked the bandages she had put on Callie earlier. She had been violently moving for a while, and then calmed down and hummed, coincidently, or maybe not, the same song that was Lois' ringtone and had gone off when Chloe called for an update minutes prior, only to start panting furiously and then begin bleeding from her upper arm, a nasty gash appearing.

She was still panting her breath on and off, her legs and arms twitching here and there. Lois kept her focus on Callie while Clark was downstairs kitchen getting food, insisting that Lois eat something. Eating was the last thing on her mind. All she could think about was Callie getting through her ordeal unscathed and finding the woman who did this to her.

Clark had been vague about the information Chloe had found. All he told her was that Chloe was able to detect weird pockets of energy at the festival and that the woman must be meteor infected. She knew that he knew more than he was telling, but she couldn't be mad at him, not at the moment. She was too drained to muster up anger at him. Besides, every time she looked at his face she could see how helpless he felt. Whatever information he did have was weighing on him and she wanted nothing more than to have him put some of that weight on her shoulders so he didn't have to carry that burden alone.

Callie gasped for breath and Lois returned to reality. She extended her hand and stroked Callie's face, trying to soothe the minor bruise that was forming beside the tiny cut on her upper lip. Hearing the floor squeak, she turned her head over shoulder and watched as Clark slowly walked in with a tray of food, settling it next to her.

Lois spotted soup and chuckled, thinking about how she had made Jeff get every soup of the menu for Callie a few days back. She looked beside it and saw a maple donut and a steaming cup of tea.

"You didn't have to do this."

"Lois, you haven't eaten anything for hours. And since you declined sleep, you might as well eat to stay awake."

"You know, I haven't seen you eat anything either. Want to share?" She offered, lifting the maple donut.

Clark's mouth curled into a grin.

"Lois Lane wants to share her food with me and her maple donut no less? This is new."

"I can be giving." She shrugged and smiled playfully.

She watched his smile fall as he stared at her. He looked peaceful for the slightest moment then uttered the words, "Thank you."

"For sharing? No problem."

"No," he shook his head, "for being you. For having a smile that can make me forget the world even if it's only for the smallest second."

Lois could feel her face start to get a bit flushed after he said that.

"That works both ways, Smallville." He grinned and she continued, "And if the smile isn't enough, I still have a good shoulder to help carry the load if you need it. Remember what I said before, you're not alone."

She knew he wasn't going to come right out and tell her everything, not at this very moment anyway, but she wanted to let him know that no matter what she was there for him, whenever he was ready to let her in completely.

"Same here." He assured her.

"Good to reiterate that point."

She gave him a quick smile and went to dig into her food when Callie let out a starling gasp for breath, her breathing increasing then slowly settling. Both Lois and Clark ran to each side of her with matching concerned faces.

"What do I do?" Callie whispered.

She watched as Clark cupped her face and said, "You'll figure it out, Callie. I know you will."

Lois pursed her lips in worry, her food forgotten.

\Ƨ/

How did she get there? She had just been in Smallville and now she was in Metropolis? She stopped to get a grasp on her surroundings but it wasn't long before she was moving again, trying to get away from her captors. She hid behind a mausoleum, trying to catch her breath. She needed to think of a place to go but nothing seemed to come to mind. Sure she could just jump in a casket or newly dug grave and hide, but her chances of getting out of those situations unscathed were slim. Looking to the sky she wished for an answer but all she found was his face, the face etched in stone.

"What do I do? Where do I go?" She asked it, clutching the ring in her hand.

The face was pointing in a certain direction, the eyes stationed on something. Of course the eyes were stone, but she couldn't help but feel they were looking at something in particular, trying to tell her something. She looked in the direction the gray eyes were looking and found her response. High in the sky the gold globe still spun, whatever ounce of sunlight that managed to break through the dark clouds shining off of it.

"Thanks, Dad." She whispered.

Inching her head around the cold building her body was pressed on she saw her opportunity to make a break for it. Her legs were killing her but it didn't matter. It was either her legs that would kill her or a bullet…she chose the legs.

Running through the gated entryway she sprinted right into traffic. Car horns honked and brakes squealed as they came to a halt in the street. A taxi almost hit her, but she slid over the roof and onto the sidewalk. Hastily, she moved through the throngs of people, silently pardoning herself. She made it to the revolving doors of destination and in the glass reflection she could see two men in black suits hot on her trail.

As the doors spun she jumped into an open space. Her heart was pounding as she pushed and made it into the lobby running for the elevators. She faintly heard the receptionist called after her but she paid no attention. She stopped at the golden doors and pressed the up button for the elevators before spotting the stairs.

"When in an emergency, use the stairs." She panted, as she darted for the door.

Flight after flight she ran. She hoped that the elevators had created a diversion but she couldn't be sure. She could try to get off at any floor and use the elevators then but she couldn't be sure that the men in black wouldn't be using them and then abduct her.

She told herself just a few more flights then she would stop, but she didn't stop, she just kept going and going until she saw that familiar number, the floor where her parents worked. Opening the door she realized right away that the Daily Planet wasn't its usual hectic self.

Checking the elevators, she watched the numbers rise on the screen above the door. Ducking into the storage closet she tilted her head around the frame and watched the numbers keep rising, passing the floor she was on. Breathing out a sigh of relief she examined the people working, trying to find someone she knew.

Around the corridor she heard someone whistling as they came near. She hid behind the door but the person stopped right outside the room. She held her breath until she heard the person's voice.

"The Chief is going to have my head when he realizes I don't have one good shot out of these pictures."

Whipping the door open she pulled the person in and then shut it just as fast.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" He called out. "Hel—."

Before he could get out in the "p" Callie cupped her hand over his mouth.

"Olsen. Stop. It's me."

He narrowed his eyes as she removed her hand. His red haired head swayed from side to side as he scanned her appearance. His freckled face became befuddled as he crossed his arms over his chest, his right hand still gripping the photos he'd been carrying.

"I feel like I know you."

"Well, you do. You know my parents better." She hinted. "Worked on this floor. The best team of reporters the Planet has ever seen…"

Jimmy gasped. "You're…you're Callie Kent. How could I forget the infamous Callie Kent? No one has seen you in years since you…" He stopped, his eyes roaming the storage area. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, Jimbo, I need your help."

" _My_ help? Why would you need me?" He asked.

"Because…I trust you and believe me with the day I've had that's the biggest compliment that you can get."

Jimmy nodded and fiddled with the brown bowtie he was wearing with his left hand.

"How's your mom?"

"Safer now."

He grinned, his blue eyes deep in thought. "She was the greatest reporter. Your dad, too. After everything…I really miss them."

"So do I." Callie whispered to herself.

"Okay, what can I do for you, CK Jr.?" He smiled.

"I need to find someone. Connor Hawke."

"Oliver Queen's kid?" He asked, confused.

Callie nodded eagerly.

"I don't know why you'd want to find him, but it shouldn't be too hard, his face is probably down the nearest gutter." He said as he took out his phone.

"Why would you say that?"

"I know you've been away for a while but this isn't breaking news. Connor Hawke has been drinking away his life for a long time now, ever since—."

Before he could finish his sentence a loud booming voice called out, "OLSEN!"

Callie smirked and shook her head. "Perry White."

Jimmy typed fast on his phone, sweat starting to form on his brow. Perry always got to him like that, making him so nervous. She smiled in the fact knowing that it was no different in her world.

"Got it. Here." He said handing the phone over.

Callie noticed that he had actually dialed the number for her. She placed the phone up to her ear and listened to it ring.

"Hello?" a voice answered.

"Connor—" was all she got out before the door busted open. Jimmy was knocked down to the floor as two of the men in black stampeded in. One pulled a gun and shot at her, the cell phone being the casualty. Jimmy kicked one of the assailant's legs from the floor, while Callie headed for the other one at the door, aiming a high kick to his head. Once he was disabled, she helped Jimmy up and they climbed over the slumped bodies and back into the newsroom. There was a slight panic from the commotion and Callie knew she didn't have much time.

"Were those Luthor's men?" Jimmy asked.

"Maybe."

"Callie, what are you going to do?"

Spying something on the wall, she let go of Jimmy and ran for it. It was a fire alarm.

"I'm going to take care of business." She called back to him.

Opening up the clear case she pulled the red lever. The alarm started to go off. A siren rang out, lights flashed, and a mob of people started heading for the exits.

Running back over to Jimmy she lightly kissed his cheek and said, "Thanks for everything, Olsen."

Hoping that the mobs of people would be enough of a diversion, she moved with the crowd and tried to blend in. As she got down to the lobby she decided to head down to the parking lot and escape through there. She had no idea where she would go once she escaped, but if finding Connor was as easy as Jimmy made it out to be that would be her next plan.

Going down two more flights of stairs she opened the door to a sign reading "PL1". Opening the door to the garage she ducked behind the parked cars. She could try to "borrow" another car like before, but she didn't think she'd have much luck trying to do it a second time around. Peeking out from around a black SUV she saw that the coast was clear and crossed the aisle, hiding completely behind a new row of cars and moving closer to the exit.

Noticing that the red truck she was hiding next to was unlocked, she decided to try her luck once more. Maneuvering around the front of the vehicle, she got into the driver's seat and looked for the panel where she could possibly hot wire the truck to start. She knew hot wiring was wrong, but she had seen her father do it to the tractor a number of times and hoped that doing it to a car wouldn't be that much different. She bent down and tried to pull the panel of plastic beside the door back. Just as she was about to yank with all her strength the window shattered above her.

Her body flung down onto the passenger's seat as bullets rang out in the air. She could see red dots swaying above her, obviously a part of the guns and trying to aim for her. Crawling across, she managed to open the passenger side door and fell out. Pushing her body up off the cold ground she immediately ran for cover. She zigged and zagged around cars and corridors trying to find an exit. She ran for a set of blue double doors, but to her dismay they were locked.

On the move again, she slipped in between a set of compact cars and contemplated her next move as she caught her breath. She could hear the squealing of tires and knew it was only a matter of time before Lex's men caught up to her. Looking up she spotted that the car in front of her had a sticker of an alarm and a blinking red dot on the dashboard. Kicking the car, the alarm sounded.

She dashed two cars down and waited. She watched as black patent leather shoes appeared in sight from her position as she ducked around a car. Hiding behind a pillar she waited for him to fully walk around the car before she made her move. Once he was in the perfect spot she jumped out from behind the pillar, catching him off guard, and forcefully kicked him in the chest. He stumbled back and she used the opportunity to backhand him across his face then take the arm that held the gun, swing under him, and powerfully bring it down onto her left shoulder, causing his hand to drop the gun.

She elbowed him in the gut and roundhouse kicked him. She thought that would be enough to knock him out, but he still stood and punched her. She stumbled back herself and swiftly moved as he tried to kick her. She blocked each of his hand movements as they came toward her and was able to grab his arm, turn him around, and punch him straight into his back.

She didn't know how much more she could take but she wasn't giving up yet. Somehow, the man still managed to grab hold of her arm, twist in behind her back, and push her into the driver's side door. He pressed her face into the cold hard metal and she could feel it digging into her cheek. Her eyes looked up and spotted the antenna sticking up from the hood. She pushed her hand on it, moving it forward, then let go. The antenna snapped back and hit her assailant in the face, which sent him back and caused him to release her. As he slid down she kicked him once more across the face. He fell to his side groaning then was out cold.

The squealing of tires emerged in the silence and she grabbed the henchman's gun. She still didn't like guns, but at that moment she needed something to protect herself with, even if she knew she wouldn't use it. The squealing came closer and she aimed the gun as a green Lamborghini came to a halt in front of her. Her eyes widened as she saw who was driving the car.

"Get in!" He yelled.

She blew hair out of her face and stood there partially stunned. The sound of another car with squealing brakes broke her out of her stupor as she realized there were still more of Lex's men after her.

"Now!" the driver said as he opened the passenger door.

Seeing the other car coming closer, she bolted from her frozen state and into the Lamborghini. Closing the door, he hit the gas she was catapulted back into the seat. Once she pushed herself upright she put her seatbelt on and looked at the driver. He looked a little worse for wear. He had a dark sports jacket on, his short dyed blonde hair slightly spiked up. He turned to her, his brown eyes looking at her questioningly.

"Connor." She breathed out.

As he was about to answer her but his eyes diverted to his rearview mirror and he uttered, "Hang on."

He sharply steered the car around a turn, sending her shoulder into the door. She could smell the burning of his tires as the car skidded across the ground. Once she was adjusted back in her seat she saw that they were then facing the car chasing them.

"What are you doing?" Callie asked, grasping the door handle for support.

He put the car in reverse and rolled the window down. He skillfully kept his left hand on the wheel driving backward as his right hand went into the middle console and pulled out a compact crossbow. Switching hands, his right one grabbed the wheel as the left one shot two arrows, taking out the front and back passenger side tires on the henchman's car. The car then lost control and slammed into a set of parked cars, the airbags deploying.

Connor then steered the car back around and put it into drive and headed for the exit out of the garage. Once they made it out onto the city streets they drove a few blocks in silence before he pulled over to the side of the road.

"Who are you and why did you call me?"

"Seriously? You ask me that _after_ you've risked your life to save mine?"

"I thought you might be in trouble. I heard gunshots and I just—."

"Acted on instinct?" She finished.

"A _very old_ instinct." He replied.

"How did you find me anyway? All I managed to say was ' _Connor_ ' before the phone was shot."

"I traced the call to the Daily Planet, so, that's where I headed."

"Oh."

"You still haven't answered who you are and why you called me in the first place."

"You really don't know who I am?" She asked sadly.

"If I did I wouldn't be asking now would I?"

"My name is Callie, Callie Kent. My father is—."

"Clark Kent. He was good friends with my father."

Callie nodded.

"But what does this have to do with me? Why did you call me?"

"This is going to sound insane, but I'm not exactly from around here. This is a terror world that I created somehow, I think, but from where I'm from we're allies, best friends even."

"Allies and best friends?" He repeated questioningly.

"I know I sound like a crackpot, but it's true."

Connor opened his door and exited the car. Callie followed suit, feeling that this was going to take some more convincing.

"Aren't you living with Lex Luthor?" He asked as he sat on the hood.

"Not my choice. Who do you think those men were? My bodyguards? They—he's trying to kill me because I didn't come out perfect from the brainwash factory."

"Why me?"

"Because I—."

Before she could finish what she was saying she saw a startling reflection in the side mirror of the car. A gun shot rang out. She moved to get out of the path of the bullet, but then something extraordinary happened. A tiny black boomerang, at least that's what it looked like, came flying from the opposite direction and deflected the bullet. Another shot rang out, but this time it wasn't a bullet flying at her but a woman swooping in from a line of rope it seemed. The woman, dressed in purple, glided down, aiming for the man who shot at Callie. She toppled over him, knocking him out.

Once she disengaged herself from the line, she walked toward the car slowly. Callie had an inkling of who the woman was but it wasn't until she came closer that Callie knew for sure.

"Huntress." Connor said with a nod.

"Helena." Callie said.

Taking off her purple mask, Helena looked at Connor.

"Should've known you couldn't keep a secret."

"No!" Callie said, jumping to his defense. "He didn't tell me anything. I already knew who you were."

"How? We've never met before."

' _Not here anyway, amiga.'_ She thought.

"I think we all need to sit down and have a talk. I'll explain everything."

"And where are we going to do that? There's more from where that guy came from." Connor said.

Callie tried to think of a place that Lex wouldn't search. It had to be someplace that he could have never known about. Looking up to the sky for an answer she found it straight away.

"I know the perfect place." She smiled.

\S/

Lois cracked the window in Clark's room open. She needed the fresh air and she wasn't going to leave the house to get it. Taking a deep breath as cool air wisped the curtains back, her hand glided across the furniture, lazily. For a moment she slipped into a daydream, a place where she was outside on the porch below, drinking a glass of lemonade freshly brewed by Mrs. K, and watching her daughter play in the yard with Clark. She could see him toss her up in the air and hear her laughter in her ears. It was so vivid.

"Lois?" She heard Clark ask as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hmmm?" She said as she turned around, her day dream fading to the background.

"You okay?"

"I will be…"

Callie let out groans and whimpers, and she began kicking at the covers in the bed. Her arm became tangled in the wires still connected to her. She whipped it toward her stomach, the action pulling the monitor from the side table toward Callie. Clark's fast feet enabled him to catch it before any damage was caused. The spasms soon stopped and it seemed that she was catching breath again.

" _Connor._ " She whispered then a minute later said, " _Helena."_

"She sure is mentioning a lot of people from that world she's trapped in." Lois said.

"Hopefully, they're helping her." Clark commented as he arranged everything back in its place.

"I hope so, too."

Clark reached out and grabbed Lois' hand, pulling her toward him. Their eyes met and they let out a collective sigh. Lois then grabbed Callie's hand and felt something wet. She turned it over to see a deep cut, blood oozing out.

"Smallville!"

Clark grabbed the wash cloth behind him and pressed it into Callie's palm. Worry clouded her eyes once more as she looked into Clark's.

"I think we need to get Emil back here." She said.

Clark nodded as he got out his phone, handing off Callie's hand to Lois as she got out the gauze and tape already out on the ground beside the bed. Callie was still and quiet as Lois worked on bandaging up hand. She couldn't explain the feeling that was rising in the pit of her stomach, but something deep inside told her that this was the calm before the storm.


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six: Fear Itself, Pt. 3; The End Where I Begin

**Chapter Twenty-Six:** _**Fear Itself, Pt. 3; The End Where I Begin** _

\Ƨ/

Callie cupped the hand she had just cut on the broken stained glass detail on the door as she led the way into the darkened entryway of Watchtower. Using her shoulder to feel her way in, she visualized the room in 2009, the placement of where everything was in the light, though she doubted that it was the same, and moved to the right side of the room. Her shoulder bumped into the wall, fell as the wall moved, then hit two metal boxes, one on top of the other, and she used her bloodied hand to lift two levers. Soon, Watchtower was lit and alive.

"And let there be light." She commented.

She turned around to see Connor and Helena, mouths agape, as they examined their environment. She too examined Watchtower and it was another case of neglect and isolation, like the farmhouse and barn. Drop cloths were everywhere, dust ridden, covering the couch, various tables, screens, and computers. Moving across the floor she started to rip off the covers, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

"So, this was the first Watchtower." Connor said in amazement.

"Yup." Callie said then sneezed.

"Bless you." Helena said grimly, her eyes narrowing at Callie.

"Thanks." Callie said, uneasy.

It was so odd to be interacting like this with her best friends. It was almost as if they had amnesia, but only worse. She figured it was going to take some time to convince them of who she was and what she knew and that was time she didn't have.

Helena sat down on the newly uncovered chair and turned on the computer.

"This thing is ancient." She commented.

"But nothing you can't work with, right?" Callie hopefully asked .

Leaning back in the chair as the computer loaded, Helena started playing with her utility belt. "I can work with any computer, being around Oracle taught me a few things." Looking up she stared at Callie and said, "But what about you? You bring us here saying we have to talk, so start talking."

Callie was taken aback by Helena's gruff attitude but she had to remind herself that they hadn't met when they were younger or gone through various emotional trials together. There was no bond, but that didn't mean Callie still wouldn't try to forge one.

"Well, my name is Callie Kent. My father is Clark Kent and my mother is Lois Lane-Kent."

"Clark Kent?" Helena asked. "That sounds familiar."

"Superman." Callie specified.

Helena's eyes widened and Callie nodded. She then felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Connor holding out a roll of woven gauze bandage. She smiled taking it and wrapping it around her wound.

' _At least there's hope with Connor._ '

Callie was struck out of her thoughts at the sound of Helena tapping away at the keys of the keyboard. With her eyes never leaving the screen she said, "My father told me to head to Metropolis a few hours ago because he thought trouble would erupt. I'm never one to comply with my father, but I did this time. I didn't realize it was because I'd have to save Supes' kid." She then looked at Callie and smirked. "He was the Man of Steel. What are you? The Teen of Tissue Paper?"

That was it.

"Okay, look, I get that you don't trust me, fine, but you have no idea what you're talking about." Lifting up her wrist Callie pointed to the bracelet. "You see that blue gem? That's blue kryptonite; it strips me of my abilities. Believe me, if I had them I wouldn't need you or your snide comments. And just so you know, I've managed this far without them."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "My father is alive. I know that he is and I need to find him so I can break free from this hellhole...this horrible world that I don't belong in. But I can't do it alone because I think Lex is involved and without my powers, as much as I hate to admit it, I'm no match for him and his army of men in black."

Helena nodded and then hit a few more keys on the keyboard. Suddenly, all the monitors turned on and Callie noticed that Helena had brought up a file about her.

"Says here that you were in Belle Reeve being treated for a mental breakdown…claiming your father was still alive. Curious."

"I know that's what it says and of course I'd be in a world where I'm deemed mentally unstable…that way no one will believe me."

"You said that where you're from we're allies, or best friends, can you prove it?" Connor chimed in.

"The girl who set fire to her school gym in protest is allies with us?" Helena asked.

"Hey!" Callie said in defense after reading her file from the screen. "It says that I burned it down because there was asbestos. Clearly, I was thinking of the children."

Connor and Helena both rolled their eyes.

"Well, I _could have been_ thinking of the children." She weakly said and pouted.

She turned and read more of her file. Lex sent her to different boarding schools over the years, seven to be exact, all of which she had gotten thrown out of. She smiled at that. The person she was here seemed pretty cool to be able to do all of that.

"Honestly, give us a reason to trust you." Helena said.

Callie turned back and eyed both of them.

"Connor, when you've had too much to drink you start to sing K-Pop's greatest hits."

"Anyone could have told you that. I hear it happens often." Helena remarked as Connor sent her a death stare.

"Okay." Callie relented and turned to Helena. "In my world, I met you when I was seven. It was after your mom disappeared and you had gone to live at Wayne Manor after finding out that Bruce was your father. He was clueless on how to talk to you so he turned to my dad and he suggested that we meet, that maybe that would help ease your pain if you had someone to talk to that was your age." She watched Helena's reaction and continued.

"We sat in silence for a little while, but then I blurted out that you weren't alone. I knew what it was like to lose a parent, and even though my father came back, I still remembered the pain. Then I gave you an **amethyst** crystal necklace that had been given to me by Zatanna. I told you that your mom was watching over you and that the crystal would help protect you and stay connected to her." Callie's eyes started to tear up but she kept going.

"You didn't believe me or understand why I would give it to you if it had been mine, but then, you swore," she smiled at the memory remembering what she had done as a little girl, "you swore that you felt the crystal heat up and you believed me. Ever since then, you and I have been by each other's side. We've played practical jokes together, we've fought side by side together, and I talked you down from taking your revenge on the Joker. We've cried together, laughed together, had races and slid down the staircase in makeshift sleds while Alfred timed us, and listened to awesome music together, music so dated that people thought we were weird for even knowing it. You even wrote a term paper on which lead singer of Van Halen was better."

"Who did I pick?" She asked, curiosity in her eyes.

"David Lee Roth. You played Van Halen all the time after my mom played it for us and when you found out Bruce couldn't stand them, you played it louder." Callie chuckled.

"Van Halen? Really? What are you sixty or something?" Connor asked.

"Shut up!" Helena shouted at him. Turning back to Callie she asked, "And in this _world_ of yours, you, me, and Connor are friends?"

"Best friends. _The Three Amigos._ "

"Huh. Strangely, everything you said…makes sense, except for being friends with Connor." She said, narrowing her eyes at him. "I could see that happening _if_ I had met you back then." She said in a lighter tone. "I kind of wish I had now."

"Me, too." Callie then turned to Connor, "What about you? You need me to go over our relationship, too?"

He shook his head. "No, I believe you."

"Why?"

"Because I, too, know what it's like to lose a parent and hold out hope for them. And I want to believe that there's a better world out there than this one."

"Lose a parent? What do you mean?"

"You don't know?"

She furrowed her brows and Connor said, "My dad, he died when his plane exploded outside Metropolis a few years after your father di—went missing. I didn't really get to know him. I tried to follow in his footsteps, but as Helena so clearly pointed out, I haven't dealt with it the best way."

"Then we do something about it." Callie stated.

Callie dug into her pocket and pulled out the pocket scanner she had been carrying and handed it to Helena.

"You think you can open this up? I tried earlier but I have no idea what _open sesame_ I used."

Helena took the scanner and placed it on the tabletop computer and it automatically connected, which Callie couldn't believe was compatible. The screen started to change and Helena typed away on the keyboard as she tried to open files.

"It's password protected, but it seems this pocket scanner has one of those built in mechanisms that lets you put in a clue if you forget it."

The screen turned blue then typed out the phrase "the best day".

"Mean anything to you?" Helena asked.

Callie stared at it. "The best day?" She turned to Helena and Connor and said, "I have no idea. I mean I can think of days when I was younger that were great, but anything after when I was five won't match this timeline. I mean the best day for myself here could be when I found out my father was still alive, but if the password is a date….I have no idea."

"So we're back to square one." Connor huffed.

Callie let out a breath of defeat. There was something about the phrase that was familiar, like she knew what it meant yet she couldn't place it. Over and over again she thought about the words trying to connect any memories to it, but there were so many she could consider "best days" and many of them were from her life and not the counterpart who lived in this world.

Connor began to pat his hands on the table creating a drumming beat. The particular rhythm he was creating made something stir in her memories. Walking along the spiral staircase she let her hand glide across the metal rails, dust getting on her fingers. In a daze she began to hum along with the beat. Soon the humming turned into words, lyrics to a song.

Callie smiled as all the pieces fell into place. The song hadn't come out of nowhere. The song was the clue.

"It's not a date or an event. It's a song. The phrase is a song." She stated, still staring out onto the city.

"A song?" Helena questioned in disbelief.

"It's the song I have with my mom." She said, finally turning around. "T-Swift saves the day."

"So what does that mean? What's the password?"

Pacing, Callie said in a hushed tone, "It's between a mother and a daughter."

' _A mother and a daughter.'_ She thought over and over. An image of the blue bird on their window sill in the kitchen appeared in her mind.

"Old blue!" Callie exclaimed. "The password is 'old blue'."

Helena looked at her strangely. Her mouth opened to say something but before she could Callie cut her off saying, "Trust me."

Helena obeyed and typed in the password. Magically the screen was no longer blue and file after file started popping up.

"I'll be damned." She heard her breathe out.

It was blueprints of S.T.A.R. Labs, two to be exact. One was the one on file and the other had the structure of a secret basement drawn in. Another file popped up and it was a picture of a fist with the words "For Our World" on it. Callie had seen that same picture in the alley when she was with C.J.. They were also the same words that her mother said to her before Bart flashed away with her. She thought back to the list of fears she had told her grandmother at the farmhouse and everything started to fall into place again.

"Of course. Of course!" She exclaimed.

"Mind sharing with the class there?" Helena asked.

"Those words," Callie said pointing to the screen, "what do they mean to you?"

"They're part of an underground resistance group for a Metropolis pre-Luthor takeover." Connor stated.

"I'm a part of it." It dawned on Callie. "And my mother, too. She got close to Lex in order to uncover secrets to take him down and find out what he knew about Superman's so-called ' _death'_. She got so close that she couldn't get out of it."

"There are documents here that claim that for a period of time Superman's body was _mysteriously_ missing, only to be back twenty-four hours later. Sources claim that it was Luthor's men who took and brought back the body." Helena said, bringing them up on the screen.

"If it was even the same one." Callie mumbled.

"Which is _another_ document here. Supposedly an ex-employee of Luthor claimed that the body that was entombed in Superman's mausoleum wasn't actually Superman. He said he had proof but a week later was killed in a hit and run accident."

Callie rolled her eyes at the word _accident_.

"He's alive, you guys. The blueprints show that S.T.A.R. Labs has a secret underground facility. I bet a year's worth of pancakes that's where he is."

"Pancakes? _Really_?" Connor asked.

"They're valuable to me." Callie shrugged.

"Well, if we're going to head down to S.T.A.R. Labs you're going to have to learn about it first." Connor said.

Callie moved to the back wall with the cabinets, finding a piece of sturdy metal on the floor, and began to pry them open with it, her cut hand throbbing in the process. "What's there to learn about? Labs and scientists to make it through, no biggie."

"She really isn't from around here is she?" Helena commented.

Callie stopped trying to open the door and slowly turned around, asking, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that S.T.A.R. Labs isn't just labs and scientists. That place is guarded by the military and is in cahoots with Cadmus Labs."

"Cadmus? As in Lex? He and S.T.A.R. Labs work together?"

"Of course they do, they're both owned by Lex."

Callie's eyes widened at that fact. "Lex bought S.T.A.R. Labs? How? I mean, for years he wanted it but…how?"

Helena eyed Callie and stated, "Who was going to stop him?"

With her father not around Lex was able to get everything he dreamed, which seemed to be her father's life and ownership of S.T.A.R. Labs. She focused her attention back on cabinet doors and used the metal in her hands to try and pry them open. Once she was successful she looked at the open cabinet's supplies. She saw a listening device with a small parabolic dish, with a microphone, built in scope, and wireless earphones, a pair of sleek sunglasses equipped with a hidden digital camcorder, a spy pen equipped with a micro lens and hidden microphone, a lightweight and durable crossbow, military strength binoculars, and a few tranquilizer pistols.

Opening up drawers and other cabinet doors she searched for a bag to transport all the equipment. Once she found a black duffle bag, she started to stuff it with the gear.

"What are you doing?" Connor asked behind her.

"Always be prepared." She muttered. She zipped up the bag and put it on the floor. She turned to her two friends as she clutched the necklace under her shirt saying, "I don't care if there is a seven nation army in front of S.T.A.R., if my father is in there nothing will hold me back from putting my family back together."

Connor took a step forward, "Any more weapons stashed in this place?"

Callie smiled and looked up at the second level, "Yeah, I think there is a secret compartment up there."

Callie watched as Connor nodded and ran up the stairs. Once he reached the top, Callie pointed to the square block coming out of the wall. There was a keypad on the side, which Connor stared at, until, almost instinctively, he punched in numbers and the metal casing on the side opened up revealing Green Arrow's equipment.

"Honey, I'm home." He said, examining the bow and arrow in his hand.

Callie smiled at Connor's reaction and walked over to Helena. "Any chance of finding the nearest source of lead?" Helena's forehead wrinkled in confusion and Callie explained, "If I can put lead over kryptonite it stops it from working. I was hoping to find something made of lead and get it over this piece of blue-k."

"Huh, so that's why he did it," Helena uttered.

"He who and what did he do?"

"Lex, he removed all lead from the city citing that it was ' _harmful for the citizens'_ " she said in air quotes, "Any lead found he disposed of it."

"So, it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart?" Callie said sarcastically.

The sound of Connor coming down the stairs grabbed both girls' attention. He walked toward them as he hung up his cell phone.

"Good news. I have a way to get through the security at S.T.A.R."

"Massive amounts of chloroform?" Helena quipped.

"No, but it's going to be a challenge." He eyed Callie and said, "You up for this?"

"Don't have a choice now do I?" She walked over to the bag she had placed on the ground and slung it over her shoulder.

"Level up." She mumbled reminding herself of the game she was playing in.

\S/

Clark exhaled as he hung up his cell phone, his phone call to Emil ending with him agreeing to speed Emil back to the farm after he finished up some tests. Clark's gaze moved from his phone to Callie.

The night seemed never ending. It was torture watching both Callie and Lois come undone to distress, but he kept hope alive. He couldn't give up on believing that everything would be okay. Lois made sure he knew that he had her and he did the same for her. Currently, she was washing up a bit in the bathroom. He knew that she needed the time, as small as it was, to wash away the tear tracks and the spots of Callie's blood that would turn up from her sporadic wounds.

For as horrible as the situation was, he and Lois were a team and that made his heart swell. He knew that through anything they would be able to persevere by just working together. They were able to do that at Daily Planet and were able to do it in their personal lives. It was the belief in them, as partners, that held him together, that assured him that everything would be okay. It was like that old saying, "love conquers all." He loved Lois. He loved Callie. That was something beyond his superstrength. It was beyond anything he knew at all.

"I know you can do this. I have so much faith in you, Callie."

His hand glided across Callie's forehead. It was still warm to the touch and he bent down and kissed it.

The only other thing he could be thankful for in this situation was the fact he wasn't in a hospital. It wasn't too long before this that Lois was in a hospital bed fighting for her life. Not that any other place would make this situation really all that much better, but the pain of what had just happened a few weeks prior was still too fresh.

"Like mother, like daughter." He mumbled unconsciously. He cleared his throat and added, "The both of you like keeping me on my toes, don't you?"

"Maybe, but we don't mean to."

Clark turned in his seat on the bed and saw Lois in the doorway watching them. He wondered how much she had heard, but then he decided he didn't care. He wasn't about to hide anything anymore. That wasn't important. He had intended to try and tell Lois about himself and he would again, being in this situation was teaching him that. Once everything settled and Callie got through this, because he knew she would, he would tell Lois everything. She deserved that.

"I know you don't and I didn't say keeping me on my toes was a bad thing." He grinned.

She walked over to him and bent down to give him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her body and brought her closer, causing her to sit in his lap. He held on and didn't let go. She was letting him rest. His heart swelled again. They were a team.

She stroked his hair and he buried his face further into her shoulder. He just breathed her in, letting the scent that was a mixture of Lois and lavender take over his nostrils, a scent that was both intoxicating and relaxing. His body may not have needed sleep like human bodies did, but with the ongoing circumstances he was exhausted and this was enough of a rest period for him. The both of them wrapped in each other's arms…it was perfect.

The vibration of his phone made him reluctantly raise his head and break their connection. Pulling the phone from his pocket he slid the phone up and saw that Emil had sent him a message.

_Ready when you are._

Clark looked behind him at Callie then into Lois' eyes.

"Emil?" She questioned.

He nodded, "He's close by." Then he hung his head down low as conflicting feelings duked it out within him. "I don't want to go. Being in the kitchen before was bad enough."

Her slender fingers made their way to his chin and tilted it up so that his face was at level with hers again.

"Clark, we've been through this once before. She seems calm right now, better take advantage of it."

Clark reached for her fingers, then he grabbed her whole hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing the palm. He left her hand go and she moved off of his lap. As he got up and went for the doorway, Lois grabbed his hand and repeated his actions, bringing it up to her lips and kissing his palm. Then she let it go and gave him a slap on his backside.

"Lois!" he exclaimed.

"Go." She smirked.

"I'll be right back." He assured her.

"We'll be here waiting."

He watched as she laid her body next to Callie's. It would only take a minute or two. That's what he kept telling himself as he stepped out of the doorway and sped to Emil.

\Ƨ/

She had only closed her eyes briefly on the couch at Watchtower, for a second or two, but when Callie opened them Connor was decked out in his uniform, mimicking those of the soldiers at S.T.A.R. Labs. He walked over and handed hers to her. She looked down at it, pondering where it had come from and how it had gotten there so fast, then turned her attention over her shoulder and saw that it was night all of a sudden.

"Whatever." She said, shaking her head.

Minutes later she had her forest green military uniform and cap on, the duffle bag once again on her shoulder. Connor signaled for her that the time had come to head out, so she began to follow him. Before she was out the door she turned to Helena, who was staying behind to be the eyes for them from the sky and ready to hack into the S.T.A.R. cameras.

"Be careful." Callie said.

"Don't worry about me. Just find your dad and make with your happy ending."

Callie nodded and went to walk through the doors, but then she stopped when she heard Helena say, "And you be careful out there too, amiga."

Wide eyed Callie whipped her head around to look at Helena, who was smiling. Callie smiled back, feeling the warmth that her friendship with Helena always gave her rise up again.

Helena turned back to the computer as she finished setting up for the mission and Callie took one last look at Watchtower. With a deep breath she walked through the entrance, an uncomfortable feeling forming in the pit of her stomach.

*/*/*

Callie was amazed by how prepared they were to get into S.T.A.R. Labs and Connor hadn't been kidding when he said he could get them through security. In the back of her mind she thought she might have to call the General or drop his name, but then it occurred to her how she didn't know what he was like or what had even happened to him, so she was thankful for the contacts Connor had. Somehow he had commandeered a military jeep and they had just driven through the first checkpoint. She was sporting a swanky ID with the name Private Jordan Elliot, but she kept her head low in case her picture was posted under a wanted sign somewhere.

She watched as men and women stood in single file in front of the gray building, some of which were armed with pistols, rifles, and machine guns. Jumping out of the jeep she still kept her head low and followed Connor, letting him lead the way.

"Hey! You two!" A voice rang out.

Connor and Callie both stopped dead in their tracks. They turned to see a man dressed in the same uniform as they were in, a machine gun slung over his shoulder, running their way.

"Drills are in fifteen minutes. Better get in line."

"Yes, sir!" They both saluted.

Callie watched as the man turned and walked away and heard Connor whisper to her, "We've got to move."

She nodded and held tightly to the bag she had slung over her shoulder.

Trying to act casual she walked toward the building, but then a certain soldier caught her eye. Her heart swelled, which she thought was weird, at whom she thought was a familiar face.

' _Logan?_ '

Before she could see if she knew the man, Connor waved her over from around the corner, signaling that the coast was clear. Saluting a few more soldiers, they waited for the front door to open, since a key card was needed, and swooped in undetected when it did.

Moving down the corridors, Callie touched her ear piece and Connor pulled out his phone, which had the schematics of the labs downloaded onto it.

"Watchtower, you there?"

"Watchtower is here and I have visual of you guys on screen. Walk down this hallway then move behind the wall. I want to get footage and loop it."

Callie replied, "Copy that," and pulled Connor down the hall and then into a little nook out of the way of the cameras. After a few moments Helena radioed back they were clear to move.

As they made it to another door, Callie noticed once again a keycard was needed to get in, but beside it was also a retinal scanner and a fingerprint scanner.

"Geez, he really went all out didn't he?" She commented.

"Why aren't you two out in front?" A gruff voice asked.

Callie turned to see an older man staring them down as he chomped on a cigar. Col. Blake his name patch read, but Callie's eyes soon fell on something valuable on his waistband: a keycard.

Pasting on an innocent smile she said, "Sorry, Sir. It's my first day here and I'm just getting acclimated to the place. The better I know my surroundings the better I can protect it."

The man gave a cold grin, "Let's see some ID."

Callie went to get the ID card she had, but then swiftly kicked her left foot in the air, bringing it around in a semi-circle, hitting the Colonel in the face. He stumbled back and went in defensive mode, his hands coming up, but she crouched down, kicking him in his shins. When he fell to the ground she got him in a sleeper hold until he was out cold.

"Whoa." Connor breathed out in amazement.

Callie moved over the Colonel's body and started pulling at the man's leg, trying to drag him.

"Help me." Her voice strained.

Connor was soon at her side in a flash, pulling the other leg. When they managed to make it to the wall Helena radioed that she was able to hack into the camera at the other side of the door and the coast was clear. Connor moved to prop the Colonel up and Callie went for the keycard on his hip.

As she slid the card into the slot she heard Connor groan, "How much does this guy weigh?" and she grinned.

The screen lit up and said, "Fingerprint and retinal scan in five seconds." Then it began to count down.

Quickly, Callie placed Colonel Blake's hand on the scanner and Connor pushed and lifted him closer to the retina scanner. Callie then used her other hand to open his eye lids.

' _This is like a messed up game of Twister.'_ She thought.

"Identity confirmed. Colonel Ryan James Blake."

The door slid open, moving from bottom up to the top. Connor then grunted as he dropped Blake's body.

"Can we never do that again?"

Callie chuckled and they moved through the open threshold. Connor pulled out his phone and pointed to another door to the right of them, clear on the other side of the room. As they made their way to it Callie looked at the computers, some floor to ceiling, and odd looking capsules on the wall as they passed them. The capsules were lit up and empty, some varying in size, and Callie wondered what they were being used for.

"If we take that door and head down, we'll come to the basement. After that we need to move lower to get to the secret area on this map."

"Cut off the cameras that I could hack into. This system is fighting me every step of the way, you guys," Helena chimed in. "Once you get to the basement and move lower our connection might get cut off, but I'll try to infiltrate that system of cameras. I don't know if I'll be able to."

"Do what you can, amiga." Callie said, touching her ear piece.

Connor and Callie headed to the door and opened it. Connor led the way, but the two of them soon hid in a crevice of the wall when Helena spotted two soldiers entering from another door. Once they passed, they started for the elevators that were keycard activated as well. Sliding the card down, one set of elevator doors opened.

"Managed to take the elevator camera out." Helena broadcasted.

They stepped in and pressed the button for the lowest level. Callie took a deep breath as she felt the elevator lower. Connor placed his hand on her arm in a comforting manner and she smiled at him. The doors opened and both heads crept out slowly to see if anyone was around. They seemed to be alone, so they exited the elevators.

As soon as they were out Callie heard guns cock behind them.

"Hands up and turn around slowly." A voice ordered.

\S/

Clark stopped in the familiar lab at Metropolis General.

"Dr. Hamilton?" He called out, his foot starting to tap on the floor.

Suddenly, he saw the curly hair, glasses, and white lab coat walk in through the door.

"Oh, Clark, you're here."

"I got your text."

Emil nodded and grabbed his black bag. "Has there been any change since we talked last?"

Clark shook his head. "It's been the same ever since she collapsed. She's fine one second then the next it's like her body is in some kind of fight."

Emil nodded, "I see. I've run every possible test I could think of, but nothing seems conclusive. There is one possibility I had in mind, but I only think it should be used as a last case scenario."

"What's that?"

"We could try to administer tranquilizers, to calm her down, but I fear that could inhibit whatever she is seeing and whatever psychological trial she is going through. You told me about her having to face her fears. Any medication I could think of could harm her but it could also put her mind at ease and help her as well. Honestly, it could work either way in a situation as delicate and rare as this."

"I don't know, Emil." Clark said, not like the way the doctor was describing the effects of the medications.

" Like I said, last case scenario."

"Right, but I don't think we'll need it. Callie needs to do this on her own. What I'm worried about are the wounds she's been getting."

Emil nodded, "Noted. I have my supplies, including bandages of all varieties. I assume that she's getting into all sorts of scrapes."

Clark's lips curved up, "Yeah, I can only imagine what kind of trouble she's getting herself into."

As much as the thought amused him, since he also thought of Lois and the various debacles she had been in, the curve of his mouth began to frown in worry, wondering just what Callie could be getting herself into.

\Ƨ/

"You have no clearance being down here. Now, turn around." The voice boomed.

She and Connor both obeyed the soldier and turned slowly. Callie saw that there were four soldiers pointing M4 assault rifles at them.

"State your names." The front soldier barked.

The soldier came closer with the rifle, while the men in back of him moved closer to Connor.

She looked at Connor, who stared right back into her eyes. Her mouth curved to the side as they both communicated the same thing. Her eyes went back to the cold ones then trailed down to the gun digging into her chest.

"My name is…"

Suddenly she grabbed the front of the gun, tilted it down, and pushed it up, forcing it into the soldier's face. He staggered back and kneed him in the stomach and hit him with the duffle bag still on her shoulder. Connor attacked the soldier in front of him, something metallic sliding out from under his sleeve and transforming into a small crossbow. He shot at the soldier and he slumped down to the floor.

She pushed into the two remaining soldiers as she and Connor made a break for it. They busted through the first door they found and saw that in front of them was a bridge suspended above a large room below. Connor pulled out his phone and shouted, "Over there," pointing to an open gateway across the viaduct.

As they ran across bullets started to ricochet off of the metal. They both ducked down and looked behind them as the two soldiers had caught up to them. They began to run again, hunched over. Callie tried to pick up the pace but suddenly her foot got caught in the grated floor of the bridge. She fell forward and before she knew it a soldier grabbed her from behind her neck and tossed her over the rail.

"CALLIE!" Connor shouted as he aimed his crossbow.

Callie grabbed onto the edge of the grated floor and held on for dear life, the bag on her shoulder feeling like a boulder weighing her down. The soldier who threw tried to step on her hands, but Connor tackled him to the ground, causing the bridge to swing a little. Callie almost lost her grip, but her fingers remained grasping the grates, her knuckles turning white. Connor then reached his hand out, as both soldiers were immobilized.

"How are you doing there?"

"Oh, you know, just hanging around." She commented, out of breath.

He smiled and grabbed onto her hand and began to pull her up. Once half her body was above the edge, she threw the bag over and used her legs to crawl up.

"Thanks for being the Goose to my Maverick."

"Goose to your Maverick?" Connor asked.

"Yeah, like in Top Gun. You had my back."

"Yeah, I know, but Goose dies."

"Fine, you can be Ice Man."

"Why can't I be Maverick?"

"Are we seriously going to have this conversation right now?"

They both lied on the ground laughing a bit, catching their breath, but the sound of metal moving broke them out of their rest. The gateway they had spotted earlier was closing.

"No!" Callie yelled.

Scrambling up to their feet, Callie and Connor ran for the closing gap. The door was moving down slowly and it seemed that they would reach it in time. Connor was ahead of her and managed to crouch down and get in. Callie pushed herself to move faster, the door a mere foot off of the ground.

She reminded herself of the time when she and her mother sat in the bleachers at the park while her dad taught C.J. about sliding into bases. She visualized everything he said and everything she watched.

"And she rounds the bases…first…second…third…"

Then she closed her eyes, clutched the bag, and slid.

She didn't feel metal crushing her body or the feel of sliding into a closed door. When she opened her eyes Connor stood over her amused.

"Safe." She breathed.

"There's a stairwell over here that leads down. You ready?"

Callie nodded and pressed her ear piece.

"Watchtower, are you still there?"

There was static, but Callie could hear her reply, "Good luck."

They headed into the dark stairwell and, while on the way down, Connor had stripped off the soldier uniform, revealing his Green Arrow costume underneath it. After being in 2009 she couldn't believe how much he looked like Oliver, especially with the sunglasses on. She dropped the duffle bag and took out the tranquilizer pistols, thinking she might need them. Once they were done arming themselves they forged on, going lower and lower into the earth.

When they reached the very bottom they arrived at a red glowing door with a keypad next to it. Callie pulled out the scrambler Helena had thrown in her bag and scanned the keypad. Making a new password she punched in 6, 2,6,1,4.

The light on the keypad turned green, as did the entire door. Pushing it open they were greeted by five soldiers.

"You've got to be kidding me." Callie groaned.

The soldiers grabbed the pair roughly, pushing their guns hard into their backs.

"We're actually impressed you made it this far." One soldier commented.

Another pulled at Callie's hair, "We were told we could do anything we wanted with you two. I'm thinking you and I could have some fun."

She looked at him disgusted, "You're making me angry and you won't like me when I'm angry."

"I don't know. I think you'd look hot all angry." He whispered into her ear as he tugged harder on her hair.

Grabbing the spy pen she had put in her pocket, she slowly twisted it so the ballpoint came out, then plunged into the soldier's hand. As he cried out in pain as he let go of her hair. Slamming her left foot on his, she then elbowed him in the face. Another soldier had his gun on her but she kicked it so it was facing the wall when it went off. Ducking to the ground, her body seemed to find a rhythm in the fighting as a soundtrack played in her head. Fighting to the beat, it began energizing her, she turned, her leg extended, sweeping the guy off the floor and onto his back. Shots rang once more and Connor ducked with his crossbow out as she pulled out the tranquilizer pistol. She aimed and shot out a dart, taking out a third soldier.

Connor punched out another and she jumped onto the back of the fifth, his gun shooting at the ceiling. He tossed her off and she hit the ground hard. He smirked as he stood over her, his gun now pointing at her face but she remained stoic. Suddenly, he moaned and fell to his knees, revealing Connor with his crossbow extended. He then ran over and helped her up.

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Those were some moves you had there. So, where did you learn all of that?" Connor asked.

"Here and there. Besides, I'm the granddaughter of a General." She winked.

They crept down the corridor quietly and stopped one they hit another door.

"Oh, yay, yet _another_ door." Callie exclaimed sarcastically.

She then brought out the scrambler again and punched in the same code as before. When the door opened lasers adorned a completely white room. Touching her ear piece she said, "Helena? Watchtower? You read?" but was met with silence.

"Ever see _Ocean's Twelve_?" She asked but was met with a very confused look on Connor's face. "Never mind."

Raising his crossbow, Connor aimed at the black ball in the corner. When he shot the arrow the lasers deflected, allowing them to walk freely.

"Very nice."

They walked to the opposite door, their footsteps echoing. Callie stopped Connor before he hit the button to open the door.

"Wait! How's my hair?"

"Your hair?"

"There's a good chance that my father is on the opposite side of that door and I'm not saving him with disheveled hair."

He grinned and said, "Your hair looks great."

She smiled and gestured for him to press the button.

\S/

Lois held Callie's body down as it started to spasm. She had been calm for the longest time, and Clark hadn't even been gone long, but when her heart rate spiked on the machine so did her body. She was breathing heavily, her arms and legs twitching. Shelby had even run in from his spot in the hallway, whimpering.

"Maverick." Callie whispered.

Lois tried to cool her down with the washcloth she had grabbed from the side table, but it didn't seem to be working.

"Come on, Callie. Come on, you can do it."

Just as Callie's arm shot up from her grasp, a larger hand stopped it from hitting her. She looked up to see Clark at the bedside.

"Emil is downstairs." He said.

Lois nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. "Good."

"How is she?" He asked, wiping away the sweat on Callie's forehead.

"She was fine up until a few minutes ago. Now it's like she can't stop moving."

"Hamilton." Callie gasped.

"Did she just…" Lois began to say.

"Yeah, she did." Clark confirmed.

"I think she's hearing us more and more."

Lois met Clark's eyes and then went back down to Callie. Clark grasped Lois' hand firmly and she could see he was firmly holding onto Callie's as well.

"Callie, I'm here. I'm always here for you." He whispered to her.

\Ƨ/

The door slid up and they walked into a room full of the capsules she had seen earlier, only some of these weren't empty.

"What the hell is all this?" She asked out loud.

Connor turned beside her and both stared at the cloth next to the capsule, quietly making a murmuring sound. He then tore off a cloth and both sets of eyes widened at the sight of a heart monitor softly beeping. He then used the leather of his arm cuff to wipe away condensation forming on the front of the glass. Once a clear circle was formed they both gasped loudly.

"Dad!" Connor screamed out.

"Oliver!"

Connor flew at the capsule door, struggling to open it desperately.

"It won't budge!"

Another door opened up and a man with curly dark hair, glasses, and a lab coat walked in. Another gasp escaped Callie's lips.

"Dr. Hamilton."

He looked up at her wide eyed. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

She lifted the tranquilizer pistol, which looked enough to be the real thing, and Dr. Emil Hamilton raised his arms in a motion of surrender.

"How do we open the capsule?"

"The…the computer." He stuttered.

Callie looked to her left and saw two full capsules side by side and a giant capsule at the other end of the room. She gravitated toward the two cases and mimicked Connor's previous action, using the sleeve of her uniform to wipe away the concentrated mist. Her eyes watered when she saw the occupant.

"Aunt Kara!"

Realizing what this meant, she flew to the next one, her heart beating so hard she thought it was going to burst out of her chest. Roughly wiping away at the glass, her eyes stung as she saw his face, almost as if he were sleeping. She couldn't contain the emotions stirring within her and let them break through.

"Dad!" she sobbed.

She tried to open the door, cursing the bracelet more than ever, and then remembered what Emil had said.

"Open it." She cried, banging on the door of the cold chamber, "OPEN IT!"

Dr. Hamilton went over to the desk and typed on the computer. Suddenly all the desired capsules opened with a hissing sound, a cloud rising as cold air met warm.

"Dad!" Connor said as he opened the door more forcefully behind Callie.

"Connor? What? What happened? Are you dressed as Green Arrow?" She heard Oliver pant.

Callie focused on the two capsules in front of her. She opened her father's door and then moved to her aunt's. The blue kryptonite bracelet started to glow brighter, in reaction to a new Kryptonian presence. Callie moved away, backing up so far that she hit the furthest, more gigantic case.

Curiosity got the best of her as she wiped away at the top. Fear burst within her as she stared at a black horned body as it lay in its slumber. She was backing away yet again, wanting to put as much distance as she could. If she had her flight she'd been on Mars, so that there were millions of miles between her and that thing. Or she wished she had an M1 Abrams tank to arm herself with, not that it would really do any good anyway. It was the monster that haunted her dreams for the longest time. The creature that seemed virtually indestructible.

"Whatever you do, do not open that one." Callie instructed Emil, her mind filling up with memories of Doomsday.

"I wasn't planning on it." Emil replied dryly.

"Lex is a sicko for keeping that thing." She mumbled.

Hearing a grunt of a familiar voice she looked up to see Connor helping her father out of the case. He was still in his Superman suit, the "S" standing out. He was hunched over, trying to regain his balance and breath. Connor and Oliver gripped his arms trying to steady him. She wished that she could be helping him, but if she were to be near him he would be affected by the blue kryptonite and she couldn't do that to him. Instead, she stood frozen staring at him, then turned away.

' _I found him._ ' She thought. ' _I found him…but I'm still here…_ '

"Lois?" She heard him asked.

She wiped a tear that fell from her eye and barely croaked out, "Not quite."

She twisted back slowly to face him, waiting. His eyes squinted, then widened. He was still slumped over in Oliver and Connor's arms, but when the realization hit him he stood straight and stared right into her eyes.

" _Callie_?"

"Hi, Daddy."

"But you're…how…how long was I in there?"

"About thirteen years."

"What!?"

He started to walk forward but Callie held up her hand in front of her and said, "Stop."

He frowned at her, not understanding, but she pointed to her bracelet and explained, "It's blue kryptonite."

She looked down at her feet, saddened that she couldn't go near her father. If finding him and letting him out of that glass tomb hadn't gotten her home, surely there had to be some physical contact, something she wasn't able to do without harming him in some way.

"Hold out your arm." He ordered.

She cocked her head to side questioningly, but did as she was told.

"This might hurt." He said before his eyes turned red.

Suddenly, she felt an excruciating burn on her wrist. She yelped out in pain, but her eyes watched as the metal of the bracelet melted enough for it to fall right off of her. Once it hit the ground she kicked it away at least five feet. The glowing of the blue-k ceased and her burning arm healed. She curled her fist as she felt her strength returning.

She looked back up at her father and ran for him. She felt herself hit a hard surface and grasped his cape hard as she hugged him. Closing her eyes tight, she relished in the feel of him and smiled at her victory.

"Dad." She breathed into his chest.

"Callie, I'm here. I'm always here for you." He whispered to her.

She had beaten the game. She had won. Opening her eyes she expected to find herself back in 2009 but instead she was still in the lab. Her eyes locked with Connor's, confusion swimming in them that mirrored her own.

Back away from the hug she muttered, "I don't understand. I found you."

In her daze she hadn't realized that her aunt, too, had escaped her pod, just as groggy as her father and Oliver had been when they were first released.

"Kal-El?" She asked and then hugged him. "We knew you were alive. We knew it. We never gave up hope, especially Lois."

The mention of her mother broke her out of her daze and she clutched the necklace beneath her shirt. Lifting it to the surface, she gazed at it once more before pulling the chain of her head.

"She wanted you to have this." Callie said, extending it to him.

He grabbed the chain and thumbed the band. Gripping it tightly he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

"Where is she?" He asked with glassy eyes.

"Safe in a cave far far away. She's there with C.J., Grandma, and Krypto, too."

"C.J.?" he questioned.

Callie smiled sadly and pulled out one of the photos she had taken from the farm out of her pocket.

"You have a son. Christopher Jonathan Kent." She said as she handed it to him.

He took the photo, more tears forming in his blue-green eyes as he stared at the little boy's face.

"I… _I have a son_?"

Callie nodded and held back her own tears. "It's a long story, but he's wonderful and like you in so many ways. He loves you so much."

He held his head down and shook it. "I missed everything."

"Dad, look at me." He obeyed and she took his hand. "I'm going to get you to them. We'll be a family again and hopefully that's what will end this horrible chapter of this never ending saga."

Hamilton's voice then sounded, which startled Callie since she had forgotten he had been there this whole time, "The door ahead of you should be your safest way out."

"And why should we trust you?" Connor asked.

"If it means taking Lex Luthor down a peg or five, I'm willing to risk everything for that."

Callie looked at each individual in front of her and nodded, making the decision to walk toward the door. As they followed, she stopped when the silence in her ear ended and a new broadcast started to come through.

"I hope you've had your fun in trying to infiltrate my building, Callie, but just because you made it in does not mean you'll make it out." Callie's eyes widened at the sound of Lex's voice. "You're probably wondering how I got on this frequency. Well, I traced the signal of your communication to the beacon in the center of the city, which will be a pile of rubble in, oh, three, two, one…"

The lab suddenly shook violently. A loud piercing noise coursed through the ear piece, making Connor and Callie both shriek and pull them out.

"Helena!" Callie cried.

Her father caught her as she almost fell to the ground, her grief for her friend taking over her body.

No. No, this couldn't be happening, she found her father. This all should have ended. She shouldn't have lost her best friend in the process. Turning to the dormant capsule beside her she punched her fist through it in fury. Connor laid a hand on her shoulder.

"This isn't your world, remember? You get out of here and she'll be safe in your own world. Get out of here alive and you save all of us."

Pulling her arm out, her hand still in a fist, she marched to the door Dr. Hamilton had pointed to and kicked it down. A band of twenty soldiers met them on the other side, all with weapons drawn. She saw a familiar face among the troop, the man who had grabbed her hair before and whispered disgusting things in her ear. Her blood began to boil again in anger. They weren't going to like her when she was angry.

\S/

"Dad!" Callie screamed.

Clark shot up, startled. He then leaned over her, as if waiting for something to happen. Lois didn't know why but she leaned closer, hoping that Callie would be able to connect with them again, that she would open her eyes again and keep them open this time. Instead, streams of tears fell from her seemingly sealed lids. Seeing the tears fall caused the ones Lois had been holding back to fall, as well. Before she could wipe them away, Callie cried out in pain and Lois noticed that the skin of her wrist felt burning hot and noticed that it was beginning to be eaten away.

"Clark!" she gasped.

Clark grabbed the washcloth and quickly cupped it over Callie's wrist. When the whimpering subsided he removed the washcloth to reveal perfect skin. Lois gasped in astonishment.

"What?"

She turned to Clark who wore the same expression on his face. When she saw a small smile creep on his face she realized that Callie had healed herself. If she healed herself then that meant…she had powers like Clark and she must have gotten them back. Lois felt herself starting to slightly smile, too. Maybe this meant it was almost over. Callie didn't seem as pale as she had before and a peaceful expression danced across her face. Lois was thankful for the lull and cupped her face in her hands, breathing into them.

"You okay?" he asked.

She shook her head, feeling so overwhelmed, her hands still on her face. She removed them and then ran them through her hair. She was so tired. Tired physically and mentally.

"I want this to be over, Clark. I want this to be over for her, for us. I want her back."

He pulled her into a hug and rocked her. "I know," he whispered into her hair.

Lois reached for Callie's hand again and noticed that it was in a tight fist. She grasped over the fist, trying to channel whatever strength she had left to Callie. Her head shifted to lay on Clark's chest as he combed his fingers through her hair, the same motion she had done before for him.

"What's Emil doing downstairs?" She asked.

"He's preparing some supplies. He didn't want to do it up here since it felt it was crowded enough."

She nodded and buried her head deeper in his chest. She closed her eyes, only wanting to just rest for a few seconds. A whimper from Callie, however, tore Lois away from her semi-slumber.

"Helena." She cried as a tear fell down her cheek.

Callie tugged her hands away from both of them and brought them up to her ears as her head moved from side to side. Her limbs twitched uncontrollably again then after a few moments she lay eerily she still. Then the heart monitor started to spike again.

\S/

The troop disbanded into five groups of four and Callie surveyed her surroundings. Barrels stood one on top of the other on either side of her. Picking one up she placed it on the ground and rolled it to the first group of four, knocking them all down at once.

"Strike!" She shouted.

Shots began to fire, which bounced off of her body. She used her heat vision to melt the guns and picked up another barrel, throwing it at the second group, again knocking them all down. Her father stepped up beside her, still not fully at a hundred percent. Together they used superbreath to take down the third group as Connor and Kara managed to incapacitate the fourth.

"Turkey!" Callie shouted.

"Turkey?" Her father asked, amused.

"Three strikes in a row, Dad. Five in a row is a bunny."

"No, it's not." Connor said walking behind her.

"In my book it is." She commented.

"I can't get over how much you've grown." Kara said, smiling. She took the necklace she was wearing off and placed it in Callie's hands. "I was going to give you this on your thirteenth birthday, but since I missed that, and after everything you've done to get in here, you deserve to have it."

Callie felt her breath escape her lungs as her eyes gazed upon the symbol of the House of El, the necklace she wore every day. Rubbing her fingers across it, she put the necklace in its right place, close to her heart, and felt even more empowered.

Everything happened quickly as they bulldozed through rooms, making their own doors, and finally making it up to the first level of the facility. Callie thought they were going to make it out until a high pitched reverberation ripped through her ear drums.

"What is that?" Connor screamed as he fell to his knees, some blood dripping out of his ears as he cupped them.

"I don't know." Callie yelled back, her body falling to the same position.

Trying to fight it off, she looked up to see Oliver, her father, and aunt all still standing, their head raised to the ceiling.

' _This isn't good._ '

Oliver was the first to react, picking up Connor and thrusting him into the nearest wall.

"Dad! Dad! What are you doing?"

There was no emotion in his face and he seemed very robotic, as if taking orders from somewhere else. As she responded to help Connor, her aunt and father stood in her way, their arms crossed over the S's on their chests.

"You don't want to do this." She hissed, the sound and pain still afflicting her.

Her aunt picked her up by the collar of the uniform and threw her back through the wall. When she hit the ground she coughed harshly, the wind knocked out of her. She rolled to her side and pushed herself up. Gearing up into superspeed, she did her best to bypass her family members and aimed for Connor. Getting him in her grasp she zipped up a flight of stairs, into a room with a window.

"Go." She said when they finally stopped.

"What?"

She punched the wall creating another escape for him.

"Go. Find a way to stop the sound that's controlling them."

"But what about—."

"I'll be fine. Now, GO!"

He nodded and jumped out the second story, landing firmly on the ground. An idea quickly formed in her head and cursed herself for what she was now going to try and accomplish. Superspeeding again, and boy was she happy she could do that again, she went back into the depths of the facility, stopping when she landed in the lab she had found her father in.

"What are you doing?" His voice asked.

She knew he would have followed her. She was fast, but he was faster. Yet, she tuned him out and focused on searching for the object of her desire. She spotted it against the wall and dove for it. She couldn't believe that she even wanted this in her sight again, but it was the only thing that she could think of to help thwart off the super-powered squad. Before she could get it, though, he stood in her way. He went to go after her but she lunged at him instead, holding onto him for dear life.

"Dad, you need to focus on me." He gripped her shoulders hard, bruising her, but she didn't let go. "Dad, please, focus on me, on my voice. Don't listen to the sound, listen to me. Focus on me." She cried. "I love you, Daddy."

She felt his grip lessen on her shoulder and felt his hands rub her back. She smiled into his chest and he held her tighter.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." She heard him murmur.

"It's okay. It's okay. You broke out of it. It's okay." She looked up at him, tears streaming from both their eyes.

"The sound is coming from the speakers all over the facility." He said, raising his voice. "If I can get to the area that controls them I can take it out."

"I sent Connor. Hopefully, he can—."

Before she could finish the sound stopped. There was a beat of silence only to be replaced with the beginning bars of a song.

"I guess he did it." Her father said.

Callie shook her head as the song played. She smiled when she recognized it. It was by Van Halen.

"Connor didn't stop it…but I know who did."

She spotted her discard ear piece on the floor and put it back into her ear. Tapping it on she said, "Hagar? Really?"

"Well, I decided to give him a chance." Helena's voice replied.

"But I heard an explosion…"

"Yes, you did, but I wasn't there. After you left I knew they'd track our signal, so I called for backup. Your family says, 'Hi'."

"Tell them 'Hi' back and that I have a surprise for them."

"Will do. Over and out."

Callie smiled, a weight lifted off of her shoulder. Before she could bask in the good news, a familiar hissing noise caught her attention. She looked behind her and saw the door to the capsule in the far end of the room had been activated and opened. Her heart plummeted when she remembered what was in there.

"Dad." She gasped.

It seemed to all go by so fast. The door lifted. A body exited. Beady red eyes met hers. There was a crash in the ceiling. Then a flash of red and blue went after it. She blinked as she registered that Doomsday had escaped and her dad went after him. Following him through the hole in the ceiling, she landed outside the facility. Her head whipped around to find Lex Luthor and her father.

"' _And when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer_.' Benefits of a classical education."

Lex then pulled out a gun and shot at her father. The bullet that blasted through the air glowed green and Callie screamed. Racing toward them she put herself between her father and bullet, trying to push him out of the way. She didn't realize her eyes had closed, but when she opened them again she looked down between their bodies and saw a stain of blood on the front of his suit. She hadn't been fast enough.

"Dad, he hit you." She said, her fingertips running over it.

"That's not my blood."

She looked at his face then down to her own chest. The kryptonite bullet lodged right above her heart, having gone through her back. She gasped as the pain rushed through her. She fell into his arms, his panting catching her ears as the effects of being close to green kryptonite got to him. Once she was lower to the ground she could feel the shock taking over, the last words to leave her mouth being, "Game over."

\S/

Lois squeezed Callie's shoulder comfortingly then moved her hand down, just above Callie's heart, saying a silent prayer. Strangely, Lois started to feel something wet beneath her hand and when she lifted it up she saw that it was covered in dark red. Blood.

"Clark!" she cried.

Quickly she took off the lavender zip up she had been wearing and placed it over the wound, Clark's hand toppling over hers. She knew exactly what kind of injury that was, she had seen many before. Callie had been shot.

"Get Emil!" Lois sobbed as her heart monitor began to slow.

Clark nodded and within an instant he had disappeared.

"Come on, Callie. Come back to me."

\Ƨ/

"Come on, Callie. Come back to me." Callie heard a voice say as Connor used the point of his arrow to dig out the kryptonite bullet.

She didn't know where he had come from, Oliver and Kara were there, too, somewhere, but she decided to stare at the night sky, counting the stars instead. The stars were bright and white and she focused on that as pain tore through her chest and coursed through her veins. She blinked and suddenly the stars were red and then it seemed as if everything finally clicked, this wasn't about finding her father after all.

She gasped as Connor pulled out the bullet and threw it to the side. Her wound started to heal and her father was at her side helping her sit up.

"Let's get you out of here." He said.

"No! Doomsday, he escaped." She panicked as she stumbled to her feet.

"I'll deal with him."

Callie shook her head. Of course he could go off and fight Doomsday, but that wasn't what this was about. In her dreams Doomsday struck and her father would fight to protect her, only to be hurt in the end while she cowered in a corner. Not this time.

"No." she affirmed. "I'm fighting him."

"You can't be serious. I'm not letting you go there to fight him."

She turned her back to her father and stared at the direction of the skyscrapers in the city skyline. She could feel the earth move under her feet and hear the sound of glass shattering. In the distance a fire ball grew up in the sky.

"You don't understand. I **have** to do this. Doomsday is the big boss, the last level, and I have to fight him alone."

"Callie…" he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Mom, C.J., and Grandma are waiting for you."

"I can't…"

"Go." She said as she cupped his hand the way her mother had cupped hers in Lex's office. She knew exactly what her mother was feeling in that moment and that one single word held so much more meaning.

"Don't give up, Callie."

She felt his hand slip out from under hers, one last squeeze of her shoulder, a whisper of love and luck, a gust of wind, then silence. She was alone.

She supersped to the middle of the city, feeling debris and ash rain down on her. People were running in the opposite direction she was walking and then she spotted him. He held a car high above his head and threw in the direction of a group of people on the sidewalk. Dashing across the street, she stopped the car in midair and gently lowered it to the ground. A nasty growl cut through the air as her action angered the beast.

Their eyes met, blue versus red. Suddenly, her breathing hitched and all the confidence she had mustered up began to dissipate. The monster leapt in front of her and hit her. Callie latched onto it as the force of its punch sent them flying through the air, tumbling into a factory that Callie knew was miles away from where they started.

Letting go, she landed onto the ground, but quickly stood up. Doomsday was no longer in her sight. Tall wooden crates adorned the area, as well as metal scaffolds and barrels. She could feel the fear rising within her and she tried to subdue it as much as she could.

"Aw, come on Doomie. Cut loose and footloose." She called out, her voice wavering with fear.

Then she heard a snarl from behind her. She turned to see the monster's face, saliva spilling from the side of its mouth.

"Just as bad and twice as ugly." She whispered.

The monster bent its horned body and roared as it stalked toward her. Creating a fist with her right hand she took a deep breath and ran for the monster. Aiming for its stomach she launched into attack. Left fist. Right fist. Left fist. Right fist. Left fist. Right fist. Left fist. Right fist. When she stopped she was panting while Doomsday just stared at her. She hadn't even made a dent in its skin.

Her jaw dropped open at the fact her knuckles were bleeding yet she had put all her strength in hitting Doomsday and there was nothing to show for it on him. Caught off guard, the monster hit her in the chest, sending her straight back into a giant wooden crate, destroying it.

She groaned and moved splintered pieces of wood off of her body. Leaning back on her hands she could feel the fear start to take over.

"I can't do this." She whispered as she started to hyperventilate. She shook her head and crawled backwards on the rumble. "I can't do this. It's too strong."

\S/

It was only a split second from the time he left the bedroom, zoomed down the stairs, grabbed Emil and was back. He could tell that Emil was startled at first, but the sight of Lois pressing her blood soaked shirt onto Callie's chest sent him into doctor mode.

"Clark, move." Dr. Hamilton said as he rounded the bed. He checked the machines and lifted her eyes lids saying, "Elevated blood pressure, irregular pulse, interactive eye movement. It's as if her body is in massive trauma."

"You think? She's been shot!" Lois retorted, blowing hair out of her face.

"Callie, I know you can hear me. You have so much strength inside of you; don't lose that now when you need it the most." Clark said as he leaned over Lois to talk to her. "Don't give up, Callie."

"Lift up the shirt." Emil said.

Lois slowly lifted it up. He held his breath, as did she. Once the garment was elevated over the wound, Emil examined it and said, "There's nothing here."

Callie's breathing started to hitch up again and the machine connected to her started to become erratic.

"What's going on?" Lois asked.

"Her heart rate is escalating rapidly." Emil replied.

Clark's stomach churned as his mind recalled all the information the psychic had given him.

"Fear." Clark whispered.

"I can't do this." Callie groaned as her head whipped from side to side. "I can't do this. It's too strong."

Clark pushed Emil out of the way and made his way to Callie's side.

"Yes, you can." He stated. "You control yourself. You can beat it."

Lois then moved in her position on the bed, making room for Clark. He sat down and pulled her hand to his and held it tightly.

"Go get'em." She whispered to Callie. "Use the strength and love we're sending you to fight this thing and come back to us."

"We believe in you." He tagged on.

Looking down at Lois he smiled when she looked up at him. Somehow, in that moment he knew for sure, even more than ever before, that everything was going to be alright.

\Ƨ/

Callie huddled her body has she heard Doomsday's footsteps come closer. She could feel her body shaking, her breathing shallow, her eyes watering, and her teeth slightly chattering all at the same time. She was having an anxiety attack. She squeezed her eyes shut, just wanting this horrible nightmare to end. Lex she could deal with. But Doomsday? She thought she could, but maybe she had been kidding herself.

"You can beat it…" Her father's voice rang in her ear.

"Go get'em."

"Mom? Dad?" She whispered into the air.

Clutching her necklace her hand traveled down to her front pocket, remembering a treasure she had stuck in there. Pulling it out she stared at the other photograph she had taken from the house.

Her eyes began to water as her fingertips brushed over their faces. Her thoughts then drifted back to when she had been tethering between life and death while in the Phantom Zone, her grandfather standing in front of her.

" _You don't belong here. You have to go back. You know that. And like you said, you're stubborn. If you want it, then fight for it."_

"Fight for it." She whispered to herself. She took a deep breath and let it out.

Pushing herself off of the wall, she straightened her back out and swallowed back her fear. She had to do this. She needed to do this. It was the only way she was going to make it out of this messed up world. She closed her eyes and let herself be engulfed by love and strength, whatever was left from herself and the waves she knew her parents were sending her.

Standing up she could see Doomsday in the center of the room. She whistled and got the attention of the beast.

"You ready for another round, Rocky?"

She supersped toward the monster, gearing up with a powerful blow, but Doomsday swatted at her, sending her over a steel table and into stacked wooden crates. The blow wasn't as powerful as before. She pondered if that meant the monster was weak from being cased up by Luthor or it meant that she was possibly getting stronger.

She felt the pounding of footsteps coming closer. She wiped away the blood that was coming out of her mouth to stare into the monster's red eyes.

As drool dribbled out of its mouth she heard it say, "You are weak. You're nothing. You could not even destroy me."

That just made her angry. Staring at it she remembered being five and watching the news, seeing segments of the battle with her father, the battle that sent him away from her family for almost three months. She had so much rage rippling inside of her that it made her punch the floor and send a shock through the ground, making Doomsday stumble back. She pushed herself off of the floor, anger continuing to spill out of her.

"My name is Callie Kent. You almost killed my father. Prepare to get your ass kicked."

Running as fast as she could, she aimed for Doomsday's body. Grabbing hold she launched them through the air, creating a hole in the ceiling and sending them into the sky.

"You have no idea what you did to my family. You broke us, like we were the ones you pounded on!" She screamed.

She stopped midair, almost out of Earth's atmosphere. She looked down, seeing the outline of land and ocean. Letting one hand go she formed and fist and pulled her arm back.

"This is for my father." Punch. "This is for my mother." Punch. "This is for my brother…" Punch. "My grandmother…the league…Metropolis…the world…" Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch.

"And this, this one's for me…"

With every bead of strength she could muster up she pounded into him, sending him back to Earth. There was an explosion in the factory they had flown out of. Once the dust settled, Callie flew back to the factory and looked down in the gaping hole the creature had created, its eyes a dull coal color. Letting her foot down, she kicked the body and got no response. Backing away she walked out into the street and burst into a fit of laughter. She didn't know where it had come from but she couldn't fight it, she just laughed.

"I win!" She shouted. "I beat you!"

Slapping the pavement she collected herself together and stood back up, drying her eyes from the tears that had formed.

In the distance she saw a little girl appear. Callie walked to her and when she was about ten feet away she saw that the girl was around five or six years old. She wore red cowboy boots, a denim jumper with a red shirt underneath, and was clutching a stuffed bunny. **Her** stuffed bunny. It dawned on her that this wasn't just any little girl, it was her as a little girl.

"Is he gone?" the little voice asked.

"He's gone." She confirmed. "You don't have to be afraid of him anymore."

The little version of herself smiled a toothy grin. "So that means mommy, and daddy, and the baby will be safe now."

"Yes, it does."

"Good. He was a mean monster." She watched as the little girl looked behind her and turned back to say, "I have to go now."

Callie nodded in understanding. As the little girl waved goodbye, Callie matched her wave and the smile the little version of her wore. Then she disappeared. Callie's grin fell as a slow clapping echoed behind her. She turned and saw the Woman in Black standing in the desolate street.

She walked towards Callie and shrugged saying, "I figured with all the 80s references you were making through this whole journey I should reward you with the _slow 80s clap_. I've actually traveled to the 80s, interesting time period."

"You."

"Me." She said with delight.

"Who are you?"

"Who do you think I am?"

"A colossal biznatch who time travels. Though you do it without a time machine, H.G. Wells would be impressed."

She smiled, "Oh, that feisty attitude of yours." Her smile fell and she continued, "It's going to get you in trouble one day."

"Why are you doing this to me? What do you want?" She demanded.

"I want him to _suffer_. I had a plan, you know. Then you had to waltz in and try to save the day. So, I threw you through time, not really caring where a nuisance like you ended up, **until** I saw the devastation in his eyes. I broke him." Then she exclaimed, "I broke Superman!"

Callie felt her breathing increase. Her thoughts raged in circles, visuals of her dreams where her father asked for her help surfaced once more.

"He'll never give up hope."

"Well, _duh_."

Callie was taken aback by her statement.

' _Duh?_ '

"Only a slight piece of him broke off before stupid hope swelled up, hope for _you_." She spat out the last part. "Well, after that I knew what I had to do. I had to destroy you. I figured your pride would do you in, but no, you were able to overcome that weren't you?"

Callie tightened her fists as the woman dragged on and on.

"So I had to come and finish the job myself, use your own fears against you, only you made it through. I must say, _bravo_ , I didn't think you had it in you."

"Expect the unexpected."

"I concur."

"You won't win." Callie said, shaking her head.

"We'll see. Maybe I just need to change my focus. Don't lose yourself now." The Woman in Black said and winked.

Callie wanted to lunge at the woman but felt frozen in place. Then everything went white.

\S/

"Lois, I'm going to conduct some tests, I need you to move away." Emil said as he pulled out his penlight.

Lois was lying on the bed next to Callie again, with Clark sitting at her feet. After giving Callie encouraging words she wanted to close to her once more, so that Callie could feel that she wasn't alone.

She glared at the doctor. She knew he was only doing his job, but she didn't want to move, not after what she had just gone through. Seeing all that blood and trying to stop it had traumatized Lois. She needed to get her feet back under her and that meant resting beside Callie until she was better.

Lois shook her head at Emil and then propped her herself up on her side with her elbow. She was startled when Callie's body jolted as if it had crashed into or landed on something. She watched as Callie's fists began to clench and her jaw tensed. Her chest was heaving and her face was turning red. Lois could tell that she was angry, but at what?

' _How about being stuck in place you want to get out of, Lois?'_

Then Callie's body lifted for a moment then fell back down.

"Miss Lane, please." Emil pleaded, pulling the stethoscope around his neck off.

Sniffing back she moved closer to Callie and stated, "I'm not leaving her."

How could she? Callie needed her more than ever.

Dr. Hamilton turned to Clark and Lois saw the war Clark was having within himself.

"Clark, I think it'd be best if I had more room to work."

Clark looked at Lois and the two stared at each other for a few seconds. He swallowed back and his face scrunched up in conflict. She hated seeing him like that.

Sighing she said, "If I get up, can I at least sit at the edge?"

Emil nodded and Lois dangled her legs over the bed, moving her body so that Callie was the only one in the bed.

Her body started to thrash, her shoulders moving violently. Then she was still. After a few more moments, the serious look on her face started to crack. Her mouth formed a smile and Lois could swear she heard her lightly laughing under her breath.

Emil brought back out the machine he had used in the beginning to look at Callie's brain waves. He hooked her back up, placing the electrodes on her scalp. He fiddled with the machine and Lois craned her neck to see the different spikes that were on the screen.

"Incredible." He breathed out in amazement.

"What is it?" Clark asked.

"Based on these neural oscillations, Callie is through stage 5. She is in the last stages of sleep. Based on these readings, whatever she was dealing with before is over. She's naturally sleeping now."

"So, it's over? She's okay?"

"Yes, but she's probably exhausted. Best to just leave her be." Emil confirmed.

Lois beamed and wiped some fresh tears from her eyes, "Good. That's really good."

"I'll let myself out." Emil said.

Clark went to say something to him, but Emil waved him off and muttered about calling a cab. Lois, though, wasn't focused on that. She was focused on the fact that Callie was going to be okay.

Turning to Clark she said, "She's going to be okay."

He nodded and said, "She is. She's a fighter, I knew she'd be okay."

The wounds that were there on Callie had healed, but Lois realized that wounds that she had herself, emotionally, weren't. There was so much to say to Clark about everything she had learned. After what just happened with Callie, the fear of losing someone you love and not being able to tell them things, it hit home for her.

"You think she'll be okay if I step out of the room."

"Yeah."

She bit her lip as she contemplated what to do next and he squinted his eyes and did that head tilt thing when he was confused. With one last look at Callie, she was satisfied enough that she would be okay. She locked her arm around Clark's and pulled him out of the room.

"We need to talk."

~/~

Clark let Lois pull him down the stairs, through the front door and out onto the porch. After everything that had happened he had finally been able to breathe a sigh of relief but when he looked at Lois and she said the words "we need to talk" his mind went on a whirlwind within seconds. This was the moment…to come clean, to explain, and to lay his feelings on the table. Life was fragile, and many events in the past month and a half had taught him that. After this he was ready, he was ready to take the leap if she was.

"What happened back there…" Lois began.

Clark stopped her and enveloped her in his arms. He could feel her body shiver then calm after melting into his embrace.

"Clark, I need to tell you something."

"No, me first. Lois, watching Callie—I know how fragile life can be. I mean I almost lost you not too long ago. Lois, I want to be fair to you. I want, no need, _this_ more than ever. What we just went through…I couldn't have made it through if it hadn't been for your strength. What I'm about to say…it's a big deal and if you're willing to—." He stopped to try and find his words then continued, "I want to tell you everything and it's a big leap for me to say this, but if you're willing to take that leap with me there's no one else I want to take that leap with." Letting out a sigh, he let go of her and backed away from on the porch. He then turned back around and said, "Lois—I'm the Blur."

She stared at him and then a smile broke out on her face. "I know."

Clark was taken aback at her response. "You know?"

She started to walk toward him slowly. "Clark, I didn't run away after our kiss because I didn't want something between us. I ran because all the pieces suddenly fit in place," she sighed. "I knew, but I didn't want to push you. I wanted you to tell me in your own time, because I know how big a secret this is and how difficult it must be to keep it."

He smiled and pulled her closer as he wrapped her arms around her waist, kissing her softly. Lois placed her hands on his chest and pushed away from his body, her lips leaving his. He could tell by her demeanor that she was serious.

"About Callie and what happened back there. How do I say this?" She ducked her head down, composing herself, then looking back up at him. "Clark, how much do you know about her?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not blind, Smallville. I saw everything that happened to her. She's special, isn't she?"

Clark let out a breath. Shoving his hands into his pockets he said, "I might as well get it all out—Lois—Callie is…from the future."

"I kind of figured that out, too, but what else do you know?" She pushed.

' _Lois Lane really is the best investigative reporter, isn't she?'_ He thought.

"Lois, what are you getting at?"

"Smallville, don't play games, not now. Tell me, flat out. Do you know who she really is? Where she comes from. _Who_ she comes from."

Letting out a deep breath he replied, "Yes."

Her voice became softer as she asked, "How long have you known?"

"Since after you recovered from the poison."

"Since before we kissed." She breathed out. Her eyes widened as they met his. He could see the hurt in them.

"Yes, but—."

Lois let out a chuckle that masked the crack in her throat. She shook her head and started to walk away muttering, "That's what I was afraid of."

"Lois, where are you going?" He called out walking after her.

"Clark, I get it." She said spinning around. "You knew about her, the gigantic spoiler. You knew who she was and decided to just _go with the flow_."

"Wait, **what**?"

"That's what it was all about in the bullpen, wasn't it? I was concerned about Callie and that was the moment you knew for sure, huh? That's why you want to be with me." She turned and grasped the rail of the porch tightly, he could see her knuckles turning white. She then let go with a frustrated grunt and turned back to look at him. "I mean no wonder I got five dozen roses in the hospital. You also send Ollie a box of cigars when you found out?"

"Lois…You know I didn't."

"Really, then tell me, explain it to me."

He opened his mouth to say something but all there was, was silence.

"Thought so."

Turning away from him, she headed toward the stairs. He couldn't let her go though, not this time, not ever.

She was halfway down the stairs when he called out, "Lois, I died when you left."

"What?" She asked, rapidly turning to face him.

"When Doomsday struck and you went missing—I looked for you everywhere."

"Those clippings—." Her face lit up in realization as she walked back up on the porch.

He nodded and continued, "But there was no sign of you. I couldn't work at the Daily Planet because I couldn't bear to not see you there, staring at me from across my desk. I couldn't be around Oliver or Chloe because they reminded me of you and that hurt too much. So I left and I went to train—to be a better hero because I was such a failure in losing Jimmy…and you."

He walked towards the stairs and kept speaking.

"Then Callie showed up. I was distant but something about her was getting through to me—it was because she was like you. I see that now. Then you came back and I felt alive again. Every day that you have been back is another day that I feel stronger. And I've never felt that way before."

"Clark, but what about—."

Clark softly grasped her shoulders when he reached her.

"Lois, just listen to me. When I lost you it was then I realized what I had been suppressing for a long time, what I was _afraid_ to feel. It was there waiting for me to act upon it and I just went on denying it." One hand traveled from her shoulder up to her face and cupped her cheek. "It's true. You don't know what you have until it's gone. That was _before_ Callie showed up. I kissed you as the Blur before I even knew who she really was. I want to be with you because of what I feel for you, not because it's what I think I'm supposed to do."

In a small voice she asked, "You really felt that way when I was gone?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I gave up on myself, on Clark Kent. Last time I felt that distant was when my dad died. But, at that time I had you, my mom, and Chloe. I even thought back to when I thought Lana had died a few years back. I almost left but I didn't. I didn't die either. Kara came into my life and I had _you_. Without you, without you there to smile, tease me, set me straight, and punch me in the arm…I felt like—."

"Stop. Just stop." She commanded and his hand fell from her face.

She paced the porch silently and he just stood frozen watching her. He was afraid if he made any sudden movements she would run away. So, he waited. He waited for her response with bated breath.

She sighed, almost looking defeated. Clark's heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise. Extending his arm out he felt for the porch swing. Once it was finally in his grasp, he grabbed onto it and guided himself to a sitting position. His elbows were on his knees, his hand running through his hair as he looked down.

"Okay." He heard her say.

His head sprung and he raised his brows. "Okay?"

She slowly nodded. "But just so we're clear on one thing."

She began to march toward him, but the march turned into a sprint and suddenly she catapulted herself toward him on the porch swing. Her action caused the swing to hit the house then move back and forth as she straddled him and kissed him forcefully, his eyes bulging for a few seconds from being caught off guard. Once his mind caught up, one hand moved to her waist as the other cupped the back on her head, digging in her luscious hair, and he deepened the kiss, shutting his eyes tighter.

"That's not exactly the response I thought I was going to get." He breathed out and they parted.

"Expect the unexpected." She shrugged.

He smiled brightly and captured her lips again. They pulled apart once more, both catching their breath.

"What do we do about this? We skipped a few steps in the relationship department, don't you think?" She asked.

"I think maybe we should keep this between us for now. Callie didn't want us to know. I want to give that to her. I don't want her to think she failed at keeping that information to herself."

"So play along?"

"I think that's best."

Lois nodded and let out a small amused chuckle. "Leave it to us to do this ass-backward."

He smiled and said, "I think we can make it work."

"Sucks to be right, though."

Clark furrowed his brow at the comment and Lois explained, "I used to tell Lucy that if she kissed a boy she'd get pregnant. I kissed you and I got an eighteen-year-old daughter upstairs sleeping." She clicked her tongue and said, "I was right."

Clark laughed and moved his face closer to Lois and said, "I think it's a little more complicated than that."

"It's always going to be complicated with us isn't it?" A serious tone creeping into her voice.

Moving an inch closer, his lips directly on top of hers he repeated what he had said before, assuring her saying "I think we can make it work."

"Okay." She whispered and succumbed to his lips at last crashing over hers once more.

*/*/*

Clark walked back into the house, a smile still upon his face. He and Lois held each other until the sun began to rise, while he kept his ear on Callie sleeping in the bedroom. Lois didn't want to leave but Clark insisted that she go since she had been up for so long. She fought him, saying she didn't want Callie to feel like she was abandoned by her, but Clark assured her that wouldn't happen. Finally, Lois had relented, saying that she would only stop at the Talon for a couple hours for a shower and a change of clothes before coming back to the farm.

Walking to the kitchen he stood in front of the fridge and spotted the picture from the festival. He glanced at each pose and smiled. The last photo made his smile even wider. Him, Lois, and Callie. A family. _His_ family.

Hearing footsteps he turned around thinking Shelby was finally leaving post in the bedroom and coming down to eat. At the top of the stairs, to his surprise, he saw Callie. She looked tired and even seemed confused.

"Callie, what are you doing up? You should be resting."

"I got thirsty." She said, her eyes wandering around the room.

Feeling uneasy about the way she was acting he asked, "Are you okay?"

"I think so," she nodded, "but, who are you?"


	28. Chapter Twenty-Seven: Coming Out Strong

**Chapter Twenty-Seven:** _**Coming Out Strong** _

Callie felt a warm sensation hit her face and kicked away the covers over her. With a groan she turned to her side and clutched the pillow under her head. Her eyes suddenly sprang open. Sitting up she looked at her surroundings. The window shades were open as the bright sun shone through the room. There was some medical equipment to her side, a bowl, a cloth, bandages, and as she looked down she saw that some of the bandages were wrapped around various appendages of hers. Pulling them off her hand and arms she didn't see any cuts, but she did see blood from the supposed wounds on the gauze.

Clearing her throat she realized that it was very dry. She glanced around the room again and got up. She went straight for the closet and opened it. It was full of shirts of varied styles and colors, though red and blue dominated. She smiled. She was back. Well, back in 2009, anyway. Taking a deep breath she took in the room once more, grateful that she had made it through her never-ending nightmare.

"It's good to be back." She croaked out.

Clearing her throat once more she decided that she needed a glass of water. Yawning as she left the room, she saw Shelby perk up from his position in the hallway. His tail was wagging and hitting the floor.

"Hey, boy." She said, petting his head.

He licked her hand profusely and she could swear he was wearing a little doggy smile on his face. Shaking her head she walked to the top of the stairs and was about to head down to the kitchen when she saw Clark. He had a big grin on his face and when he went for the refrigerator he stopped to stare at the photos they had taken at the festival.

A wicked idea danced in her head. Being with Helena, even if it had been in her mind, reminded her of all the good times that had had together, all the tricks they had played on people, especially their dads, and she saw the opportunity for one.

As she moved forward the creak in the floor alerted her presence to Clark.

"Callie, what are you doing up? You should be resting."

"I got thirsty." She said with her eyes wandering to make herself look confused.

She could see him getting uneasy and asked, "Are you okay?"

"I think so," she nodded then tilted her head, "but, who are you?"

Clark's eyes bugged out of his head and his mouth fell open. His face then looked even more contorted when she started to burst out in laughter.

Finishing her walk down the stairs she said, "Oh man, you should see the look on your face. _Who are you?_ " She was still laughing but stopped when she saw that Clark's face still looked the same.

Suddenly it dawned on her that this may not have been the time for her to pull a joke, or at least one like this. She had completely misjudged this one.

"Oh my god, I feel like such a jerk. I'm so sorry; I was trying to be funny. I thought, ' _hey, go for it'_. I mean, I've been told in the past that I should stop playing jokes on people, that it was going to bite me in the ass one day, but when you see a chance to do one sometimes you just can't help it and you don't think of the repercussions of doing it at the moment because you're just doing it for a laugh and…" Adding quietly, "Wow, that is the same exact look when I pulled the ' _I'm Pregnant'_ April Fools…"

She breathed and saw that Clark was still staring at her.

She waved her hand in front of his face and asked, "Hello?"

"Are you okay?" He asked, just staring at her.

"Am _I_ okay? Dude, are _you_ okay?"

"My heart stopped for a second, but I'll be fine." He said, regaining his functions again, like blinking. "And _what_ about April Fools?"

"Nothing!" She said quickly. "I'm really _really_ sorry. I feel horrible. All my mind would think of was doing something funny to kind of lighten up the mood in the house after everything I put you through and obviously that was the wrong choice. That was really mean, I'm sorry."

"And you're okay?" He asked again.

"Yeah." She nodded. "I'm Callie, you're Clark. I'm from the future, you're…not. I'm okay. I remember everyone and everything."

He nodded, "Good."

He moved back into the kitchen and she hesitated to sit on the stool at the island.

"You forgive me for me being a jerk? I swear that was my last joke ever, promise." She said as her hands moved in the air to emphasize.

He turned around slowly and she couldn't read the expression on his face.

"I don't know, Callie." He shrugged. "You really had me in shock there."

She held her head low and berated herself for being such an ass. ' _Helena, I'm totally blaming you for this, too...'_ she thought.

She had her hands lay flat on top of the island and then felt Clark place his hand on top of them. She looked up and saw him smirking.

" _Now_ we're even."

She slapped his hand away and said, "Touché!" Then her face beamed in a smile and she laughed.

"You deserved it." Clark smiled back and he took her hand again. "You did give us quite a scare, though. I knew I shouldn't have let you out of the house."

She could see the guilt in his eyes and had to make sure that wouldn't blame himself.

"For the record, this wasn't because of my cold, so, technically, I kept that promise. _And,_ besides, how did we know that the Woman in Black would appear and decide to play Fear Factor with my head."

He nodded in understanding. "You up for breakfast?"

"Uh, have we met?" He made a face at her and she cleared her throat. "Sorry, bad choice of words. But come on, I'm always up for any meal."

"That is true." He said, raising his eyes and nodding.

When she looked around the room she didn't see any of Lois' things. She hadn't heard the shower running and as she used her x-ray vision to look outside she didn't see her car in the driveway either.

"So…how's Lois? I have a feeling I kind of freaked her out with everything that happened."

"Believe it or not, she took it all in stride. In fact, I told her everything." He said as he brought out the orange juice from the fridge.

Now it was Callie's turn to have her eyes bug out of her head.

"Everything?"

" _Everything."_ Clark confirmed.

"Does that include me?"

He nodded saying, "She knows you have powers and are from the future."

Callie stayed silent mulling this over. She knew her mother. She could connect the dots as fast as Callie could superspeed to Mississippi. If she knew about Clark and knew about her, how long until she uncovered the truth?

"Not to sound like a broken record, but are you okay?"

Callie pasted on a smile. "Yeah, I'm just…trying to think of what I want to eat."

' _Especially since my appetite seems to be disappearing.'_ She thought

"Well, whatever it is you tell me and I'll get it."

Callie nodded and thought back to everything she had just experienced but that was starting to make her stomach turn.

Suddenly, Clark's cell phone rang and Callie watched him as he answered it, wondering if it was Lois.

"Hello?...Oh, hey, Chloe….Yeah, everything is fine. I meant to call you when everything settled down but something else minor came up and we'll need to talk later….No, it's nothing bad. Something good actually…I will. Bye."

Clark put the phone back into his packet and said, "That was Chloe. She's happy you're okay and wants to see you when you're ready."

Callie nodded and gave him a slight grin, "Cool."

"So, you think about breakfast yet? Am I going to have to make an ATM run and rent a U-Haul?" he smirked.

The U-Haul idea wasn't that bad since Callie felt that she could eat all the maple donuts that could fit in one a few minutes ago, but instead of telling him what she had really wanted her stomach did a mini flop and she said, "Toast. Toast sounds good. Get some carbs in to build that energy back up."

"Toast?" He asked with his eyebrows raised. "That's it? Not on the side of mounds of bacon, eggs, and pancakes?"

"What? I'm in the mood for it. Just toast."

"Okay, toast it is."

He moved to the counter behind him and opened up the bread box, retrieving four slices. Shelby, hearing the sound of food, came trotting down the steps and into the kitchen. Callie diverted her attention from both of them and stared out the window over the sink. She had survived an attempt by the Woman in Black. She should be relieved, but she wasn't. When would the next attack come? Would she be ready for it? How was she going to get home? How much had she altered the past? Was it affecting the future? She missed her family more than ever after being in the alternate future. She couldn't let that happen ever. She couldn't let the future become that way.

The sound of the toaster startled her a bit as her eyes went back to the guy making her breakfast. The guy who, no doubt with Lois, stayed by her side through everything during the night. The guy who was more and more growing into the man she called her father. No, she couldn't mess this world up—no matter what.

~/~

Lois gripped the donut box in her hands as she stood at the kitchen door. She had spent the whole drive from the Talon coaching herself to act normal in front of Callie, to not let her know that she knew the whole truth. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and saw Callie and Clark at the dining room table. They were both buttering their toast at the same time and were almost identical in their actions. It was a very eerie sight. Both of them soon stopped when they realized she was in the room.

"Lois!" Clark said, standing up abruptly and clumsily banging the table. "Hey."

"Hey, Smallville." She greeted with a head nod.

Their eyes met and all she could think about was being in his arms only a couple hours before and feeling his lips on hers. It had been the most glorious feeling in the world. Feeling the heat rising to her cheeks her eyes shifted to Callie who was looking between her and Clark funnily.

"Callie—I—uh—how are you feeling?"

"Better. How are _you_ feeling?"

Lois mulled over her words for a bit, trying to analyze what she meant by them. Did she look like she wasn't okay? Was she referring to what Callie had gone through the previous night? Or was it to the news that she was from the future? Lois thought everything over at light speed and answered honestly.

"I'm great." She smiled.

Callie smiled back and Lois spotted relief flash in her eyes. When Lois finally looked away from Callie she hadn't realized that Clark had left the table and moved right beside her. In a reflex of nervousness she pushed the donut box into his chest and opened it.

"Donut?" she asked.

He looked from her eyes to her lips to the box and back again. Lois could once again feel her cheeks redden a bit.

"You first."

"There're so many choices…"

Lois knew that they must both look awkward and it was confirmed once again by the way Callie was staring at them. However, instead of commenting on their behavior, she rushed up to the box and picked out three donuts and began devouring them instantly.

"What happened to just wanting toast this morning?" Clark asked Callie.

"What?" Callie shrugged with her mouth full.

Clark turned back to her and asked, "You want to sit down?"

"Sure."

She followed him back to the table where he sat at the head of it and she sat across from Callie. It still seemed awkward, given what she knew, but the more she sat there the more she began to feel at ease.

Getting a maple donut from the box she bit into it happily. Her left hand that was placed on her thigh was suddenly squeezed. Startled by the contact she jumped up from her seat.

"Lois? Everything alright?" Callie asked.

"Yes." She said. "Just thought I felt someone— **something** on me."

She glared at Clark through narrow eyes as he tried to hide a small smile.

" _Ok-ay_." Callie drawled, still staring at the both of them.

Feeling the awkwardness starting to peak again, Lois cleared her throat and focused on Callie.

"Can I ask you something about last night?"

She watched as Callie tried to mask the fear of being asked that question and replied, "Sure."

"Throughout the whole time you were asleep you were calling out different names like Connor and Helena. I was just wondering if those were friends of yours helping you through everything."

Her mouth started to curl up as she replied, "Yeah, they were helping me."

"Good. I just—I didn't want you to be alone in whatever you were doing."

Callie's blue eyes snapped to Lois' hazel ones.

"I wasn't alone at all." She stated adamantly. She looked to Clark then back at her and continued, "I felt the both of you the whole time. I was—I was in this scary place, but you both gave me the strength to keep going, no matter what. There were moments that I could swear that I could hear you and once I thought I even saw you."

"You did." Clark said. "You opened your eyes at one point and looked at us. That's how we figured you could hear us."

"In the bedroom," Callie commented softly.

"And everything is okay? I mean everything that you went through—you're okay?"

Lois could feel all these motherly instincts kicking in. It felt so normal.

"It was all a game set up by the Woman in Black. I went through all these trials or levels to finally get to the big boss. The monster who has haunted my dreams for so long and I was always afraid to face. But this—this was different. This time I did something that I had never done before."

"What was that?" Clark asked.

Callie smiled, "I fought back. I had too much to get back to and the both of you helped me do it. So thank you, again, for saving my life. I'm also really sorry that you had to go through all of that. It must have been really hard to see."

Lois glanced at Clark then back at Callie, "It was, but we managed. Together."

"And I know that some things might have been a shock and you might have some questions…"

"Ah…save it. You have your reasons for keeping that information to yourself. I respect that. Doesn't mean I'm not curious but, keep the mystery." She winked.

Callie looked at her with wonder and said, "You just always get it, don't you?"

Lois was a little perplexed by her statement but Callie continued, "It's not that I don't _want_ to tell you everything, it's just—with what I've just seen—well it only takes a snowflake to create an avalanche."

Silence fell on the table once more and everyone took sideways glances at each other.

"So…who wants to hit the Harvest festival again today?" Callie asked.

Clark and Lois both grimaced as they looked at Callie.

" _Kidding_ …" she grinned.

~/~

Clark watched Lois as she walked along the porch, lost in thought.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Hmm?" Lois asked, obviously not hearing what he had just asked her.

"What are you thinking about?" he repeated.

She sighed and said, "How hard and awkward this whole thing is…for all of us."

"I know."

"I can't help but think of _future us_ , you know? How are they— _we_?—taking it. Do we know where she is, that she's safe. And then I think about Callie and how she must feel and then I think about me and it's worse." She huffed.

Clark walked closer to her, empathizing with what she was feeling. Encouraging her to go forward, feeling as though he already knew the answer, he asked, "Why worse?"

"Because I feel…" her words trailed.

"Selfish." He finished.

Her eyes widened when she looked into his and nodded.

"I want to get her home but there's a part of me that wants to get to know her and keep her here as long as we can so I can do that."

Lois was leaning against the side of the house looking down at the floorboards of the porch. Clark felt content in the fact that it seemed the two of them were on the same wavelength. That she understood and he could be open with her about it, about everything. Taking a few steps he stopped when he stood right in front of her, extending his hand and placing it on her cheek.

"I know exactly how you feel because I feel the same way. For the longest time all I wished for was the life my parents had. I feared that because I was different I'd never get to settle down and have a family."

"Oh, Clark…" she whispered, placing a hand on his chest.

"And now, I've met Callie and I look at her and my heart just…swells—with love, hope, _pride_ , but I realized something else."

"What's that?"

"All the times that I didn't want my powers and just wanted to be normal—after you disappeared and I gave up on Clark Kent, I realized that you make me feel normal. Even more so now that you know about me. You always challenge me, Lois Lane, to be better and reach my potential and when Callie arrived she did the same, still does in fact." He grinned.

Lois' eyes were piercing into his and he took a breath and continued, "She didn't cut me any slack. She's…she's pretty amazing and I just want to find out more, I guess. I like having her around. I like having you around. I like us _together_ and how we all just click. I want more moments and I want to keep feeling how I'm feeling because it's here, _now_ , and I don't have to wish for it in the back of my head. I just, I miss having family around and I see all I ever wanted for myself in her. And I know it's selfish of me to feel that way, because I know the reality of the situation. She needs to find a way home."

Now, it was his turn to look down at the porch floorboards. After a few seconds he felt Lois move her hand from his chest and move it to his chin, tilting it up, so he was looking up at her again. Then she moved it again and cupped the hand he still had on her cheek.

"I'm just happy that it doesn't look like I screwed her up. I've always been a little weary of kids and after everything that happened while Lucy was growing up…" she trailed off and cleared her throat. "But I also feel that with you, I don't think I'm that afraid. After last night, I believe that even more. The three of us have something special, but we also have to think that there's so much more. She's grown now, but we have quite the journey ahead of us. And when that day comes Clark Kent, you will be an amazing father and we'll get to experience everything you dreamed about, I promise. We should just savor the time we have with her now and find comfort in how she's turned out."

Clark leaned into her and gave her a chaste kiss. When their lips parted he leaned his forehead against hers.

"I want to show you something."

She nodded.

He pulled her closer and whispered, "Hold on."

~/~

Callie peeked through the window watching Clark and Lois talk on the porch. As much as she tried to bury the feeling, she was worried. Her worry didn't come from them finding out about her, but from how they were looking at and interacting with each other.

What if what she had gone through changed something for them? What if she derailed them from getting together somehow? Before she got sick she could see and feel the tension, the good kind that she really didn't want to think about in reference to them, but now something was different. Something _had_ changed between them and she was determined to not let what happened to her affect their relationship.

They moved and Callie crouched down and moved to the next window and peeked with just her eyes over the window sill. They seemed to be very close to each other, which she took as a good sign. They again shifted a little bit out of her view, but she craned her neck to keep an eye on them, while clutching her necklace in a tight fist.

From where she was it seemed like they were even closer to each other. She could hear muffled voices and wanted to use her superhearing and eavesdrop, but she knew that would be even more wrong than her current position. She leaned against the window a little bit more and as she did so Shelby ran to her side and whined.

"Oh, no, not again. You're playing with my future here." She said, turning back to the window.

Shelby whined again and let out a deep bark that startled her. She fell back over the sitting chair, her back landing in the seat as her legs dangled over the side. Shelby then came over and licked her face.

"Ugh, Shelby!"

She pushed the dog away and when she got back up and to the window Lois and Clark were nowhere to be found. With a sigh she walked over to the couch and collapsed.

"Well, this could be a good thing. Maybe they went somewhere to talk." She grimaced then added, "But it could be a bad thing because maybe she needed to leave to think because it's all too much. She does have that bolting issue."

Worried that she somehow put a wedge between her parents she looked at the ceiling and groaned, "I have to think of a plan."

~/~

Lois opened her eyes when she felt them finally stop. Being in Clark's arms and speeding through the air had been exhilarating. Her heart was still racing, however she wasn't sure if it was because of the trip they had just made or the fact she was still wrapped up in Clark Kent.

When she felt his arms slowly start to fall from her she pushed back from him and turned her head to see where it was that he had brought her. Behind her were double doors with stained glass and a wall lined with frosted glass that had checkered metal embedded in it and an iron swirled design on top of it. It was very beautiful.

Clark grabbed her hand and she trailed behind him as he pushed the doors open. Her breath was caught in her throat as they walked into a large room full of monitors, computers, and all other types of equipment. There was an upper level, which two staircases led up to, that held even more equipment and a large astonishing stained window that illuminated as the sun hit it.

"Clark…this place is amazing. Where are we?"

"This is Watchtower. This is where we come together and gather information when there's an emergency."

"We?" She questioned.

Footsteps coming into the room made her turn from Clark and look toward the doorway. She was surprised when she saw her cousin walking in.

"Lois?! Clark?! What's going on? Is it Callie?" Chloe asked in a panic.

"No, she's fine. Actually, this was what I wanted to talk to you about. Lois knows…about me, about everything." He turned to Lois and said, "I told you that Chloe knew my secret and had helped me, but what I didn't tell you is that she runs this place. She's Watchtower."

"Lois?" Chloe asked.

Lois breathed out as she once again took in _Watchtower_. She had already figured out that Chloe had known Clark's secret before he officially told her. She also knew that Chloe could hack into anything but she didn't know how extensive her job was or that this was where she came to work every day and not the computer specialist working for Queen Industries.

' _Though I guess technically she kind of is…'_ Lois thought.

"Okay, Chloe, remember when we were ten and I kicked you out of my clubhouse for spilling soda and you said you'd build a cooler one? You win."

Chloe smiled and sprinted to Lois and enveloped her into a hug. Lois held her cousin tight.

"Lo, you have no idea how happy this makes me. It killed me every time I had to lie to you."

"I get it, Chlo. You had a good reason."

"You're not mad?"

"That you help a team of heroes save the world? Yeah, Chlo, I'm furious right now." She said in sarcasm.

Chloe snorted a laugh and gripped Lois tighter.

"I'm really glad that you know."

Lois glanced over Chloe's shoulder and connected her eyes to Clark's. He was smiling at them, obviously happy that they were happy but there was something else in his eyes, a sparkle when he looked at her. It made her heart skip a beat.

"Me, too, Chlo. _Me, too_."

Chloe finally let Lois go and pulled her back. A wide smile plastered on her face.

"There's so much I want to tell you, Lo."

"Like how you've known my billionaire ex-boyfriend is Green Arrow?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

She watched Chloe squirm a bit. "Yeah, like that."

Lois grinned. "So, these are some pretty awesome digs."

"It is pretty incredible." Chloe said wistfully.

"Chloe?" Lois asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No. It's just, I never told you that Jimmy had left this as a wedding gift for me. He knew me so well that he wanted me to be at the highest point in the city."

"Now, the name _Watchtower_ makes even more sense."

Chloe nodded sadly, but quickly controlled whatever emotions were coming over her and put a smile back on her face.

"So, how are the two of you? Last night must have been horrible."

Lois and Clark both looked at each other, communicating through their eyes what to say.

"It was, but we all got through it." Clark said.

"So…what happened to Callie…was that… _explained_?" Chloe asked, obviously tiptoeing around the actual question she wanted to ask.

"I know, Chlo. Clark explained to me that Callie is special and she's not exactly from the present day."

"Wow, you two really must have shared quite the moment this morning getting all that out in the open."

Both Lois and Clark shifted where they stood. Lois looked over to Clark again and they both quickly looked back at Chloe.

"You could say that." Lois answered coyly.

She really hoped that her cheeks were not turning red because all she could think of was jumping Clark on the porch after he told her that he "died" when she was away. She still hadn't told him of the dreams that she'd had, which she would eventually, but talking of his origins and what he could do seemed so simple compared to the making out they did in between their conversation. With the situation they were in, that was the complicated part.

"Are you two okay?"

"Fine!" They both answered at the same time.

"If you say so." Chloe said as she backed away and went to go sit at her desk.

Lois cleared her throat and tried to get her emotions in check. "So, when do the rest of the heroes clock in?"

"The rest of the heroes are out on patrol." Chloe said.

"Something big going on?" Lois asked, a bit worried.

Chloe glanced at Clark then her eyes landed back on Lois.

"We're in the midst of tracking down who made Callie sick and the guy who attacked a couple weeks ago and put you in the hospital."

"That sounds really serious."

She was very concerned as she turned to Clark. Suddenly, there were all these waves of worry crashing over her. Thoughts of Clark getting hurt. A soldier going off to war and being severely wounded. Her mother watching her father leave for deployment, praying that he would return to her safely. All these thoughts seem to bombard her mind at once and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Lois?"

Clark said her name a few more times before she felt his hands gripping her shoulders. She looked up into his concerned blue eyes. She wondered if he could feel the fear coming off of her. Her fear for him. While she knew he was powerful he also had a weakness, he had told her so. In her eyes, he may be super, but he was also a man; a man who could go off to fight and never return.

"You know what, Smallville, I think we need to table our field trip for now. Take me back home?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Really."

He nodded, still looking at her, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"I'll see you later, Chloe?" She asked.

"Yeah, later." Chloe answered, seemingly unconvinced at her declaration that she was fine.

Stepping close to Clark she felt him wrap his arms around her and wondered how the future her did it. She knew she wanted and needed Clark, but just like he had told her that he died when she was gone she wondered how she would cope if there were no Clark Kent in her life. She closed her eyes as she buried her face into his chest. She prayed that she'd never have to find out.

~/~

Clark walked through the door and witnessed Callie on the couch, her back on the cushions as her legs leaned against the back of the couch standing straight in the air. She had a long strand of her hair in her hand as she braided it. There were also pieces of paper scattered around her, many rolled up into balls.

"Hey." He said.

" _Oh_!" Callie exclaimed as she moved out of her awkward position and sat up straight, while collecting the papers and pushing them under a copy of the Daily Planet on the coffee table. "Hey."

"Sorry, I disappeared. Lois and I were talking and I wanted to show her something."

"And things are good between the two of you?"

"Good?" he questioned.

"Just, after everything that happened last night, I didn't want to make things awkward."

"You didn't." He assured her.

Callie seemed pleased and Clark felt for her. She was troubled that what had happened affected the past, his present, had affected him and Lois.

"So, where is Lois?" She asked.

The question caught him off guard. He had just assured Callie that everything was okay between them, but the fact Lois had wanted to go home did bother him a bit. She had seemed fine when they first had been in Watchtower, then suddenly Lois' attitude had changed. He had asked her about it when they had arrived at her car but she brushed it off and told him that she needed to digest the new information and repeated she was fine, they were fine, and she'd be by again later. He wanted to believe her, instead he knew there was something else.

"She, uh…" he licked his lips and continued, "She needed to get back home for something. She said she'd be back again later."

Callie eyed him and he wondered if she could see right through him.

"Cool." She replied.

There was silence between them and Clark sat down on the couch next to her.

"You want to do anything today?"

"I don't know." She replied, her eyes looking like she was thinking so far away.

He could only imagine the thoughts that were running rampant in her mind. Thoughts about the future. Thoughts about what she had just been through. About trying to be careful and not change the future. Her face was tense and her brows knitted closer together as she thought intensely. It's the same face his mother told him that he makes. And more than ever he knew what she needed.

"You want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"About what happened."

"I don't know…" She said again with less assurance.

"You can tell me anything and you don't need to be specific, but it might help. I know you're strong, but sometimes even the strongest people need a shoulder to lean on."

She looked at him strangely but then a small grin formed on her face. She nodded and said, "Okay."

Clark watched her shift in her seat and take a deep breath.

"I…uh…when we came back from the festival, I was feeling weak and tired. I thought I woke up and I heard a familiar voice...I thought I was home. But I soon realized that I stepped into a nightmare. My whole life had been turned upside down. People I love were gone or changed, it was horrible." Her eyes were fixated on the coffee table, not staring at anything in particular and her one hand moved to clutch something beneath her shirt, a necklace he assumed.

She continued, "But I knew one person in particular was still out there, no matter what that world was telling me. All I could think was that maybe, _maybe_ if I could get to him it would all end, it would be my way out. So, I did everything in my power to protect the ones I love and to find the truth. I found my friends, though in that world they didn't really know me, but I convinced them and I got where I needed to go and I found him. I felt _so_ safe and…I just wish it had been for real." She sighed.

"I had the chance to be with my family and I was tempted, but it wasn't real. Then the big bad showed up and instead of running I knew I had to fight it. I knew that that thing was powerful and could kill me but, you have to risk everything instead of holding onto nothing and if I had cowered back I would have nothing. So, I took all the strength I had and all the strength you and Lois were giving me and I fought. I fought for me, for my family, to get back—and I did it."

Clark grinned hearing the words his father had told him in her words. He felt proud that he was able to pass that down to her and she used it. Though his grin flattened when he heard Callie sniff back and wipe away a tear from her eye.

"And you came out stronger because of it." Clark stated.

"I hope so." She replied softly.

Clark put his arm around her and she leaned into him with her head on his shoulder.

"I know so. To be able to handle all of that? I remember I had been trapped in my head once. There was this phantom that had broken out of the Phantom Zone and it made me believe my powers had been in my head and tried to tempt me with all the things I had wished for at the time. There was the chance at a normal life, the girl I thought I wanted, but I knew it wasn't true and I fought it off. I learned from it."

"Were you scared?" She asked, sounding like a little child.

"Very. I saw someone I care about get hurt. Were you scared?"

"Terrified," she admitted. He could tell by the tone of her voice that it was a hard thing for her to say. "but I tried not to be, to not give into my fears."

"And you triumphed over them. That makes you stronger."

"Maybe."

"Not maybe, it's true."

She sighed again. "I saw my family. I saw them and all I wanted to do was go off and be with them and I couldn't. _I miss them_."

He thought about what Lois said to him on the porch and replied with conviction, "I'm positive that they're missing you like crazy and are doing everything they can to try and get you back."

She nodded into his shoulder.

"I know if it was me, I would." He added.

"I know you would, too." She said and he could see a hint of a smile on her lips.

He held her close and as an instinct kissed her forehead.

"What was that for?" she asked, craning her neck up in surprise.

"I'm always here for you, Callie. Always."

There was something in her eyes that he couldn't identify when she looked up at him. Maybe he had been too forward but he felt so connected to her in that moment that he was only saying what was in his heart.

"Pizza." She exclaimed suddenly.

"Pizza?"

She nodded, "And ice cream—cookie dough—and garlic bread, and _ooh_ , make that cheesy bread, and after that I whoop in basketball."

"What's this all of a sudden?" He grinned.

She shrugged, "I got my full appetite back, _I guess_ , and you asked me what I wanted to do today, so…"

Clark figured that wasn't all she got back, but he wouldn't question it. Maybe she couldn't tell him her secret, though, the moment they shared was the next best thing.


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight: The Parent Trap

**Chapter Twenty Eight** _**: The Parent Trap** _

Callie hated the time she had at the farm alone. Time alone meant time to reflect and think. All that did was lead her to worry and be hit with an emotional tidal wave of sadness. The past few days had had its high and low moments. Nothing _too_ low, it was just low enough for Callie to sense an awkward tension in the air that wouldn't dissipate. For example, the day she had woken up from dealing with her inner midnight movie madness everything had been good between her and Clark as they played "Unicorn," her version of "Horse" that Clark playfully mocked, and devoured an everything pizza. Even when Lois had shown back up everything was still going smoothly until Clark made that serious face, with the squinty eyes and the head tilt, he makes when his superhearing acts up and he heard someone in need of help. When he had come back she could notice a change in Lois. It wasn't anything drastic, but just unusual, well unusual for the Lois of 2009. Callie had seen that kind of look before, a look of fear for him, at times on her mother but with her mother it would come and go, with calmness and faith persevering. With this Lois it seemed that she couldn't shake it.

" _He'll be fine, you know." Callie told her._

" _What do you mean?" Lois asked as she turned from the window in the living room she had been staring out of._

" _You're worried about him going out there. He'll be okay." Callie assured her._

" _That's what I keep telling myself, but I can't help but worry."_

" _Does it bother you when he's gone?" Callie asked._

" _No, what bothers me is that he might not come back." Lois said, downcast._

Those words stung Callie. Sure, the fear was reasonable enough, no doubt. She was sure that her mother had felt that way, especially after everything that happened with Doomsday in 2020, but this early? Had things progressed this fast? Callie used to think she knew the story but it seemed to be fuzzy. Was it fuzzy because she was nervous and couldn't think or was it something else—a change somewhere else?

With a groan Callie threw herself on the couch. She needed a distraction. She was supposed to meet Chloe later, but she needed something to get her attention pronto.

As if her plea had been answered, there was a knock on the door. Shelby barked as Callie rose from the couch and headed to the front door. Opening it up she saw Oliver Queen standing on the porch.

"Oliver?"

"Well, if it isn't the girl who has nine lives." He smiled.

"I think I'm down to six, but don't tell anyone."

"Not a soul." He answered with his hand raised as if he were taking an oath.

Callie nodded then moved out of the door frame. "Come on in."

"Thanks." He said, accepting her welcome.

"So, what brings you here?"

Oliver reached into his pocket, pulling out a small device, and extended it to Callie.

"I wanted to give you this."

Callie reached for the object and then analyzed it once it was in her hands. It was a light, thin cell phone, but one that was state of the art for 2009. A smartphone to be exact. It seemed to have everything.

"That's one of the newest phones out there. It actually isn't supposed to be released until January, but I pulled a few strings. Though, for a future girl it probably isn't that incredible to you."

Callie looked up at him with awe. She was moved that he was giving her such an expensive present.

"No, it's great, but why are you giving this to me?"

"Well, for one, it's basic knowledge that all girls need a cell phone, I assume it doesn't matter what timeline they come from," he smirked, "and two, it's to keep tabs on you so Clark and the rest of us don't worry."

" _Keep tabs_?" She asked as one hand went to her hip.

"Maybe not the best choice of words, but with everything that has happened and us still trying to find a solution to your quest home, I figured this was better than our throats becoming hoarse from shouting your name into the air hoping you'd hear us."

"Reasonable." She grinned.

Oliver smiled again and then looked behind him into the living room.

"So, how does one keep themselves occupied out here?"

"It's not easy. Lots of moping, mulling over sad thoughts, and becoming worried about the future."

He grimaced at her words.

She waved her hand at his reaction. "Don't worry, that's just how my mind rolls as of late."

"Well, we should do something about that. What are your plans today?"

"Besides going back to fill that indent I've made on the couch, eat my donut, and watch _my programs_? I'm supposed to see Chloe later. She has something she wants to tell me."

"Okay, so then that frees up time for us to hang out."

"Hang out? Don't you have a company to run?"

"I admit I should probably be going to a meeting or two since I'm short a partner, but I'd gladly ditch it for you." He smiled.

"No word on Tess still?"

"No, the mansion was combed and there hasn't been any sign of her. Clark told me about the video she sent. I think it's best to say that Zod did something to her. At least she did something good before, you know…" He said wistfully.

For a moment she thought about Tess. A weird feeling came over her as she did so. When she first met her she really hadn't known anything about her, but something was telling her now there was more-

"You alright?"

Callie blinked a few times as she broke from her thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

He nodded, but she could see in his face that he didn't really believe her.

"So, what's the definition of ' _hanging out'_ when it comes to Oliver Queen of 2009?"

"What's the definition for Oliver Queen of where you come from?" He countered.

Callie smirked. "There are a few things I can think of."

"Good, you can let me know what they are on the way."

"I should leave Clark a message…" She said as she went to move past Oliver.

" _Or…_ you can use your new phone. I already programmed all the numbers in. Clark is number one on speed dial."

Callie looked down at her phone and sighed.

"Right. Okay, just give me a second."

Oliver nodded and Callie went into the living room to privately call Clark.

~/~

Clark nipped at the skin under his lips which produced a moan from the beautiful creature he had inflicted it on. She moaned again as he moved a little higher on her neck and his superhearing picked up an almost inaudible "Smallville" roll from her lips.

He couldn't actually pinpoint how this had occurred. An hour prior, the police scanner had picked up a disturbance across the city. After informing Lois that he had to take care of it he saw a flicker of a foreign emotion in her eyes. When he had come back, he found Lois ultra focused on her work. He remembered her once telling him about "burying your heartache in your job" and he assessed that he was seeing it firsthand. She had scribbled a note and left it on his desk for when he had returned. He figured they were going to talk about whatever was bothering her, but when she came into the copy room their gazes met, she kicked a stack of newspapers over to his feet, and hastily made her way to him until her lips were assaulting his.

Currently, Lois was on top of the copier, her legs wrapped around his waist as her heels dug into his back. Her hand slid between them and found his tie. She pulled on it, which made him retreat from her neck.

"You know, this isn't exactly what I had in mind when you said you wanted to meet in the copy room." Clark remarked with a panting breath.

Lois bit her bottom lip and smirked as her hand glided up and down the fabric.

"Yeah, but I figured you'd be open to it."

"Oh, I am. I'm just— _worried_."

Now it seemed to be Lois' turn as her lips gravitated to the side of his neck. He could feel her tongue slide up to his pulse and faintly heard her ask, "About?"

"When I left…you had this look—," His eyes slightly rolled back as Lois' teeth were suddenly nipping at his ear and he sighed. "I just…want to make sure…you're okay…" he gasped.

Lois removed her mouth from his ear and pulled on his tie again, forcing their lips to crash together.

"Oh, I'm fine now." She said against his lips.

"You're still…" **Kiss.** "Okay with…" **Kiss.** "Who I am…" **Kiss.** "What I do…" **Kiss.**

"Of course…" **Kiss.** "But, I admit…" **Kiss.** "I get concerned…" **Kiss.** "About you…." **Kiss.** "Saving the world…" **Kiss.** "And getting hurt…"

Clark pulled back and looked her in the eyes.

His brows furrowed. "Getting hurt?"

"You told me that you weren't indestructible. Every time you leave, I worry about you." She shrugged.

He kissed her lips lightly and rested his forehead on hers.

"Explains the look."

She nodded.

"Lois, are you going to be okay with this? I mean, me going out to save people, leaving you at a moment's notice…"

Her lips met his once more. There was suction on his top lip then his bottom lip and he tried to stifle a moan. He moved his hand behind her neck and opened his mouth to do the same to her.

"Maybe that's what _this_ is about." She whispered on his lips.

"What do you mean?"

"To make each moment count. _And_ to remind you what's waiting for you here after you leave. That you'll always have to make it through, no matter what, because I'm here waiting..."

"To kiss my boo-boos away?" He laughed as his mouth hovered over hers.

" _Mmmhmm_. Though, it doesn't sound as sexy when you put it that way." She replied.

He grinned and ran his fingers through her hair, saying, "Lois, I will always come back to you. I would fight through heaven and hell to come back to you. You're an incredible woman who makes me feel stronger when I'm around you. You make me laugh and for a second _every day_ the world and its problems fall away when you smile at me. You're the one that I need. So, I will always come back to you, trust me," He could see her visibly relax and he continued, "Being able to kiss you…well, that's…" he craned his neck and shifted his lips towards her ear and whispered, "just an extreme bonus."

"I would fight for you, too. You also make me stronger and I need you. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. That's why I get so worried." She said softly, as if admitting a secret from within.

His head moved once more and he was facing her again. "I worry about you too, you know. You're not indestructible either."

"Speak for yourself." She smirked and he smiled back. "Get over here." She said as her hands planted themselves on each side of his face.

As he was about to pounce on her again, Clark heard his cell phone ring. He let out a groan of displeasure as he reached into his pants and retrieved his phone. When he pulled it up to eye level he saw a number he didn't recognize. Sliding his phone up, he brought it up to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Clark, it's Callie."

Backing away from Lois, Clark removed the phone from his ear, looked at the number again, and then replaced it back.

"Is everything okay? What number are you calling from?" He asked.

"Oliver stopped by and gave me a belated birthday present."

He then heard a light slap and a muffled noise.

" _Callie_?"

He watched as Lois' eyes grew in alarm.

"I'm here…just, uh, saw a bug and slapped it away…so, anyway, since I was alone on the farm Oliver suggested that we hang out, if that's okay."

Clark felt a pang of something in his heart. He couldn't actually detect what it was but he could still feel it rippling through him.

"Of course it's okay. You shouldn't be secluded to the farm. It must get boring."

"Not boring, just lonely. I can only play hide and seek with Shelby so many times."

" _Right_."

He heard her sigh as did he.

"So, I'll see you later?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Bye."

Then he heard his phone beep as the call was disconnected.

"You look down, Smallville. What did she say?" Lois asked.

He stared down at his phone and replied, "She called from her _new cell phone_ to say that she was hanging out with Oliver."

"Well, it's good that she's getting out of the house."

He nodded off into the distance.

" _Clark…_ "

He turned back to her.

"What?"

Her face looked very thoughtful as she said, "Don't worry."

"Don't worry about what?" he questioned.

As Lois was about to reply distant sounds tugged at his ear. He knew his face tensed up as he heard a cry for help. When he looked up, Lois had the same concern in her eyes as before.

"Lois, I'm sorry I have to…"

"No apologies, Smallville. Go do some good."

He gave her a nod and as he was about to leave he once again felt a tug of his tie and his lips forcefully met Lois' once again.

When she pulled back her mouth curved into a sultry smile and said breathily, "One for the road."

He let out a low growl as he fought his daze, which he could certainly get used to for the future, and pushed aside all of the bubbling feelings from Lois and the phone call he received from Callie and went out to do some _good_.

~/~

Callie followed Oliver into the dojo and placed the duffle bag she had been carrying on the floor. The whole drive over Oliver had made jokes and tried to lighten the mood, but her call to Clark had left her a bit glum. He had sounded okay that she was going out with Oliver but something still was eating at her. Plus, she was still pissed at herself that she called the cell phone her _belated birthday gift_ , since her birthday had been over a month ago, slapping her hand over her mouth when she had said the blunder, but she had covered it up, or so she thought, and he hadn't said anything about it. She shouldn't be so over analytical about everything, but she couldn't help it. She had a lot festering inside her.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Oliver asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Absolutely." She confirmed, need a break from her exhaustive mind.

She looked around the space and saw blue mats on the floor, punching bags hanging down, a few benches against the walls, weapons, and weights side by side on racks. It was just what she needed. She could feel her muscles yearning to punch and kick at one of the bags. All her pent up frustration needed an outlet. In her time, she would convince Ollie to let her use a simulation room where holographic images set on a difficulty level would be her training and her therapy, along with guidance from Bruce, Dinah, Diana, and her parents.

She could recall being ten years old and dreaming about a gigantic solar eclipse occurring on Earth. She could feel the fear of being powerless, the fear that the Woman in Black had tried to use against her. She had woken up from that dream determined to be able to fight any darkness that would try and attack if she were powerless. She wouldn't be a damsel in distress. She would be able to fight and protect.

She had convinced her parents to let her take some classes in karate and gymnastics, but she had wanted more. That was when she saw Bruce and Ollie sparring one day when she had been with her father. She wanted to learn those techniques and she did. Using her Kent charm and Lane defiance, she convinced Bruce, Dinah, Diana, and Oliver to help her learn how to defend herself and her family in a time of crisis. There were secret sessions for over a year and when her parents found out what she had been doing they hadn't been pleased, but like always, they understood. Her father had even taken her up to Fortress and taught her moves of Kryptonian Martial Arts.

She sighed to herself. She needed to hone those skills again. She had been powerless in her dream state and she knew that there could be other chances when the same could happen, whether it be the Woman in Black, Zod, or some other villain to come out of the woodwork and put a wrench in her plans of getting home to a stable future.

The sound of a phone rigging distracted her. She reached into her duffle bag for the phone she had received from Ollie, not sure of what ringtone it had been programmed with, but as she crouched down for it she looked over shoulder and saw Oliver pull out his phone and answer it. He walked quickly to the corner then back again after a minute or two, wearing a guilty face.

"Bad news. It seems that I can't play _Oliver Queen's Day Off_ completely, after all."

"That's okay." She shrugged.

"You can stay here, though. I just have some Luthor Corp issues to deal with and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Do what you got to do."

He smiled at her regretfully. "This isn't exactly how I wanted this to pan out."

"I know, but like you said, you'll be back."

"Exactly."

With a nod of his head he smiled again and retreated back through the door they had entered. Callie watched him go with a sad expression. She had been looking forward to hanging out with Oliver but this wasn't unexpected. They always got called away for work, whether super or not, at the most inopportune times. She was used to it. She understood it. It was still sad, though.

Turning back toward the room she decided she would continue with what she had planned with Oliver. She wouldn't dwell on his absence. She would take the opportunity bestowed upon her. She walked over to the red punching bag to her left and inspected it. It seemed sturdy enough but she would have to be careful with her strength. She tapped the bag lightly with her finger and watched it sway. Then she used more fingers and pushed it back. She then formed a fist with her right hand and hit it harder.

She smiled, but it soon fell when she realized how silent the room was.

"Well, this is not going to do."

*/*

"Here she comes now sayin' Mony Mony," Callie sang to the music as she threw her punches to the beat. "Shoot 'em down turn around come on Mony."

The beat played and her moves still mimicked it. Punch…Kick. Punch.

She belted out more of the song as she moved her feet and held her fists up in boxing position.

Punch…Kick. Punch.

She punched with her left fist.

 _ **Yeah**_.

She kicked with her left leg.

_**Yeah** _ _._

Right punch.

_**Yeah** _ **.**

Right kick.

 _ **Yeah**_.

Left kick.

_'Cause you make me feel_

"Like a pony!" She screamed.

Punch.

_So good_

"Like a pony!"

Kick.

"Mony, mony!"

She momentarily got lost in the music and began to be more active with the punching bag. The beat influenced her hands and feet as they came into contact with the bag. Memories were flying through her mind again, the good and the bad. The bad encompassing all the villains of late, like Lex, The Woman in Black, and Zod. The good including her family, nuclear and extend. One memory jumped to the forefront because of the song she had picked off the iPod Lois had let her borrow. It was the time Connor, Helena, and she were listening to her mother's highly regarded 80's playlist in the loft of the barn. Before she knew it, they were having an impromptu dance party. The three of them were a wild bunch, doing all sorts of quirky things it seemed, and she wouldn't have had it any other way. She looked forward to more instances. She wouldn't let The Woman in Black take that away from her.

She continued to move around the bag, punching at it as the song continued to play. She could tell that she was loosening up even more as her punches and kicks seemed to be becoming fiercer, causing the chain attaching the bag to the ceiling to rattle each time she did so.

She punched with her left fist harder and the chain rattled.

 _Yeah_.

She kicked with her left leg and the chain rattled doubly.

_Yeah._

Right punch. Rattle.

 _Yeah_.

Right kick. Rattle.

 _Yeah_.

Left kick side kick.

_**SNAP!** _

The contact of her kick snapped the metal chain in half. The bag went flying across the room, hitting the window, breaking it, and landing outside. Her eyes widened at what she had done.

" _Ooopppssss_ …." She hissed before she cupped her hands over her mouth.

 _Come on, come on  
Come on, co—  
_  
The music suddenly shut off and Callie turned around to see an amused Oliver standing by the stereo, his arms crossed across his chest.

"I'm not sure if I want you around my stuff anymore." He with his eyebrow raised.

"I'm really sorry. I just got caught up in the music and before I knew it…' _voooooom_ '!" She said reenacting the punching bag flying across the room with her hands.

"How about you take that aggression out on something else a bit sturdier." He suggested.

"Like what?"

"Like me." He offered.

"Ollie, I can't…" She shook her head.

"Hey, come on. I've gone up against a lot of powerful things and I'm still standing. I can take it."

She walked over to him and lightly pushed two fingers into his shoulder, causing him to move back a step.

"There."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm serious. Don't hold back."

Suddenly a punch came her way but she swiftly moved out of the way.

"Hey!" She shouted.

"Show me what you got."

She narrowed her eyes at him and moved out of the way of another punch. Much to her discontent, her body subconsciously positioned itself in a fight stance, waiting for him to make another move. He threw another punch, which she caught. Then a kick, which she also blocked. Then another punch and then other.

"Come on, Callie. Hit back." He said as yet another punch came her way.

She blocked it and pushed his arm to the side.

"What if I were John Corben? Or Zod? Or The Woman in Black?"

Three images flashed in her head. She could see each of them and it made her blood boil. Her lips pursed and she clenched her fist hard. She stifled a growl and threw her fist in Oliver's direction, trying to hold back most of her strength. Then it made contact with Oliver's face.

Oliver fell to the ground.

"Oh crap!" Callie said as she knelt down beside him.

She gently placed her hand on his shoulders.

"Oliver?! Oliver?!" She called out. "Oh my god, what did I do? First I break his shower, then his punching bag and window, and now him!" She chastised herself.

As she was about to lift him and superspeed off to the hospital she saw his eye flutter open and a groan escape his lips. She quickly supersped to the refrigerator on the far corner, opened the freezer, got out an ice pack, and then sped back to his side all in a flash.

"How do you feel?" Callie asked, handing the ice pack to Oliver.

"Like I hope you got the license plate number of the Mack truck that hit me. Oh wait, it was just pint sized you." Oliver said, taking the ice and applying it to the right side of his face.

"Call me pint sized again, you'll be applying that ice to the left side, too." She smirked.

Oliver started to laugh then stopped as he groaned and cupped his right side.

"I really am sorry." She said.

"No, don't be. I told you not to hold back."

"But I still should have. You're not a hologram that I can throw around. Even though I held back my strength, I still hurt you."

"But it still felt good didn't it?"

Callie couldn't hide the smile creeping on her face. "Maybe. I sort needed a release after everything."

"I know."

Callie sighed. "I feel like I have to hold so much in. That if I open up and talk about how I'm feeling I'm going to let something slip out and the world will end."

"Hasn't ended yet." Oliver commented. "And if you want, you can talk to me. I already know who you are, so you don't have to hold back."

"But I still do. You can't know certain things, no matter how much I want to tell you or warn you."

"Warn?" He asked curiously.

Callie groaned and rolled her head back, "See, I already said something. Things will happen in the future, Ollie. Events will happen that I wish I could warn you and everybody about."

"Well, I think if you tell me how you're feeling you'll feel better and I guarantee the world won't end."

He grinned and she relented.

"Scared." She revealed.

"You feel scared?"

She nodded. "That I won't make it home. That the Woman in Black is going to come back even stronger. That I'm not going to be prepared enough. That she, or Zod, or both, in this timeline or mine, will hurt my family. That I'm losing my parents…."

"Losing your parents?"

She started to pace on the mats.

"They're hiding something, Oliver. I know it. They have tells and I can look into their eyes and know that they're keeping something from me. Whenever I'm around it's like, I don't know, something is different and they're dancing around the truth of something and it's driving me _crazy_! What if it's bad? What if what happened to me freaked them out and now it's awkward for them but they don't want to tell me because they don't want me to worry but I am worrying because they don't know that they're my parents and if they're not together then the world is…"

" **Stop**! Breathe."

Callie obeyed and breathed.

"You worry like Clark and you talk at the speed of Lois, my head is already hurting so just calm down a bit."

She glared at him

"How about some fresh air?"

"Okay. Can't hurt."

Callie followed Oliver outside and she sat down on the large stones encasing the shrubs in front of the warehouse. The air had a breeze and was actually calming.

"Better?" He asked.

"A little." She breathed.

"I don't think you need to worry about Lois and Clark."

Callie sighed. "Maybe, but when I'm around them the whole atmosphere is different than it used to be. Something has changed between them."

Oliver shrugged and sat down next to her. "Maybe it has, but who's to say it's changed for the worse?" He raised his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side.

"I've always been told that time travel is nothing to mess with. That it can have dire consequences. I just can't shake the feeling that me being here is affecting the future somehow. And then when I see them and the way they're acting around each other," she exhaled and looked at the ground, "I don't want to be responsible for ruining the future."

"I'm going to tell you this right now; we'll never let that happen."

She turned to him. "You seem really sure about that."

"Maybe it's because I am."

Callie slightly grinned and enveloped him into a hug. Oliver wrapped his arms around her and held her.

"Thank you. I'm happy that I can share this with you. It's so hard sometimes when I'm at the farm. So, thank you."

"No problem, happy to be your sounding board."

She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. It was almost as if she were being watched. Backing away from Oliver she looked over her shoulder but didn't see anyone there.

"I'm pretty sure I said this before, but, you're a lot like him." She turned back to him and her brows wrinkled in confusion. "Clark," he explained, "and with Lois mixed in there— that's also how I know your future will be safe."

"Let's hope so. I know my parents are special and more than anything I believe that they're—" She said.

"Meant to be." He finished.

She nodded and added, "Growing up and watching them and their love for each other, it was like one of those true love fairy tales. Someone could wipe out their whole history and I know they would still find their way to each other, somehow, someway, because that's Lois and Clark, but there are so many risks, so many lives that hang in the balance which could be changed for the worse—I've seen it. Mine, my br—" she stopped herself before she let the word "brother" slip. "I just don't want the future to suffer for my blunder and keeping them from their destiny at the time they're supposed to follow it." She revealed. "I don't want what happened to a few nights ago to put a strain on them getting together."

"First, like you just said, Clark and Lois will always find each other, no matter what obstacles are in the way. Second, you just have to have faith, kid."

' _Faith.'_ She repeated in her thoughts.

She smirked and said, "Who you calling ' _kid_ '?"

She bumped her shoulder into his and they both laughed.

"So, how am I doing with _Oliver Queen hanging out_ time?" Oliver asked with wonder.

Callie smiled. "Perfect. Especially since I didn't put you in a coma."

"Hey, what's with you playing that song? Isn't that music ancient by your standards?"

She shrugged. "It's my mom's doing. She said she taught me good music from the womb. I believe her. Besides, it had a good beat to workout to."

"Still, _Mony, Mony_? You do realize what that song is about right?" He playfully questioned.

Callie thought for a moment and her eyes widened. "Ew!" she exclaimed and hit Oliver's shoulder with her own. "Thanks for ruining it for me!"

Oliver laughed and shrugged, "Sorry. Smart girl like yourself I figured you would have known."

"Yeah, well I try to stay as ignorant as I can to that stuff. I'm already going to therapy for the things I've walked in on…."

" _Walked in on_? You mean… you walking in on your par—" She nodded before he could finish and now it was time for his eyes to widen. "Thanks for putting that into my head."

"Hey, I have more than one version up here, okay." She said pointing to her head. "Had to share the wealth."

"More than one?"

"Let's just say I never went home during my lunch break unexpectedly or walked into my parent's bedroom or office without knocking ever again…"

" _Ahhh_! Callie!" He screamed, putting his hands over his ears. "Things I do not want to know about the future!"

She burst out laughing and exclaimed, "Sorry! Take it as one of those warnings I mentioned before." She then snorted at Oliver's face.

She pushed him playfully again and he pushed her back.

"Now I have to bleach my brain and make a note to make sure I always call before I visit!"

"Hey, me first on the bleaching! They're _**my**_ parents!"

"How about we grab some food, if we can handle it now after our conversation, then the bleaching?" Oliver suggested with a smile.

" _You're on_." She smiled but then she stopped, that feeling from before still lingering and the talk they had just had floating around in her head. "Actually, I think I'll have to take a rain check on the food and bleaching. I need to check on something first."

Before he could even speak she was off in a flash.

~/~

Fiddling at his desk, Clark couldn't shake the feelings that were coming over him. Lois had gone out on a separate story and he couldn't even voice what was bothering him to her. Pushing away from his desk, he decided he needed some air. Walking up the steps he came out to the street and looked upon the people as they walked. He watched as a father picked up his daughter and set her on his shoulders as they walked down the street. The father smiled as his child giggled and placed her small hands under his chin to steady herself. His heart tugged again. Sighing, he walked to the nearby alley and shifted into superspeed. As he was just about across the city his superhearing picked up on a familiar voice.

" _You seem really sure about that."_ He heard Callie's voice say.

" _Maybe it's because I am."_ Oliver's voice replied.

He stopped outside one of Oliver's warehouses where he caught Callie slightly grinning and enveloping Oliver into a hug. Oliver wrapped his arms around her and held her. Clark could feel his eyes heat up. This was different than anything he had ever really felt.

He held his breath as he heard Callie say, "Thank you. I'm happy that I can share this with you. It's so hard sometimes when I'm at the farm. So, thank you."

"No problem, happy to be your sounding board." Oliver smiled.

Clark's lips pursed together. His breathing heightened. He left and sped all through Metropolis, all the way up to the roof of the Daily Planet. He wanted to let out the feelings that were building up in him. He gripped the edge of the concrete and brick and felt bits of it start to disintegrate beneath his fingers. He let out a deep breath and tried to control himself. Pushing away from the edge, he let go of his grip and wiped his hands of the dust from the brick.

Walking back down the stairs he had calmed himself down enough. As he walked into the bullpen he saw Lois back at her desk. He felt himself ease even further, but the arch of her eyebrow indicated she knew something was wrong with him. She could always tell. He secretly had always loved that she could always tell.

"Hey, Smallville."

"Hey."

She eyed him and tilted her head to side, as if she were analyzing him.

"Something's bothering you."

Clark sat down at his desk. "Something _was,_ but I'm okay now."

She shook her head, "No, I can see it in your eyes. Is this about this morning? The call from Callie?"

"Am I that transparent?"

"No, I just know you that well _and_ the fact I detected a note of jealousy from the notoriously nice Clark Kent during the phone call."

Clark licked his lips and leaned forward.

"It's not just about the phone call." Clark explained.

"What's really going on?" Lois asked.

"I went for a walk and my hearing just…it just automatically tuned into her voice while I was superspeeding and I ended up where she was and—she was hugging Oliver and thanking him for letting her say things that she can't say at the farm and…my head is thinking all sorts of things. Like, what has she been talking to him about? How much has she shared with him? I don't know why I'm feeling like this." He confessed.

"I know why. You're reacting because she didn't confide in you instead. Watching that has to be hard." She walked over and leaned on the side of his desk. "This has been festering under there and you didn't say anything."

"What am I supposed to say?" He huffed. "I thought everything was okay and that I completely understood how hard it was for her." He sighed and repeated, "I don't know what I'm supposed to say."

"That it stings? That it's the hardest thing ever to trust someone enough to let them have their secrets because you know they're doing it for a good reason; they're trying to protect you. You know where I'm going with this…"

"Yes, that I expected you to trust me all those years before you knew my secret."

"Yeah, now it's our turn to trust Callie. I know how hard it is because I feel it, too. Look, I know you think that you saw something to be jealous of between her and Oliver, but I can tell your heart is saying the opposite and if I know one thing it's that Clark Kent's heart is usually right."

"So, Callie was with Oliver…"

"To just let off some steam after everything. You're here and at work and he offered her a ticket off the farm for a few hours. So, hey, they talked. We should be happy that she has an escape for a little while when we can't be there to help her do it. I don't think you have to worry about her playing _favorites_." She said, teasing the last part.

"You're right, I'm being childish."

"No, well, _yeah_ ," she nodded and a grin formed on his lips, "a little, but you're also being a father who wants his child to confide in him and there is nothing wrong with that. It's just…"

"She can't with us. Not like this, here. I know that. I do. I guess I was just suppressing all those feelings and when I saw her…I got jealous." He admitted.

"Yes, but I think she does confide in us in other ways—in her own way that won't affect anything. She tries, Clark."

Clark smiled recalling all the talks that he had with Callie and all the activities they had done. Then there were the looks that she had given him. The eyes that wanted let him in and give all her secrets away. It was stupid what he had felt. He should have known better, though, he was also new at this. That had to count for something. Besides, he had an amazing partner to point him in the right direction, to bring him back when he was lost. He knew it wouldn't be the last time either.

"Thank you for pulling me back from the ledge."

"That's what I'm here for, Smallville. We make a great team."

"Yeah, we do." He said in a low voice.

She smiled brightly at him but suddenly Lois' phone began to ring. She hopped off the edge of his desk and turned back to hers, picking up the receiver.

"Lois Lane." She answered.

Feeling better, Clark was about to get back to work when he heard the tone of a text message coming in. Reaching for his phone he pulled it out to see who it was from. He saw that it was the number Callie had called from earlier and he quickly opened it.

_-You working hard or hardly working? :) -_

Clark texted back, - _A little bit of both. Everything okay?-_

The tone went off again.

_-I was wondering if you were free…-_

_-Of course, I'm always free for you. :) -_

_-Great, because I'm already on the stairs.-_

Clark looked up and saw Callie put down her phone and wave at him. There she was, waiting and wanting to see him. Yes, he had been a fool. Callie had her secrets and she had her reasons to keep them and he would have to support her. For years people had supported him and he knew that he should give her the same treatment. After all, she was just like him.

~/~

After her talk to Oliver, Callie felt a little better about things. Plus, all the talk about her mom and dad made her want to see them. Walking down the stairs she spotted them through the open doors of the bullpen. Clark looked a bit distressed and he wasn't looking at Lois. Lois was leaning against the desk so Callie wasn't able to make out her face.

Callie _could_ use her superhearing to figure out what they were talking about, but again, that was against what she was taught. His face though, was getting to her. It looked so conflicted. All those feelings that she thought she had eased were starting to filter through again.

She could hear Oliver's voice in her ears, their conversation steaming through her brain, the word _faith_ being stressed. She latched onto that word and instead of hearing it through Oliver's voice she imagined it through another.

' _Faith. I have faith. But sometimes you need some action to give faith that little boost, for insurance purposes.'_ She thought.

When she had been at the farm that morning she was desperate to come up with that _insurance_. It was a bit of a daft plan, but under the circumstances she thought that it might just do the trick.

' _Time to get the ball rolling.'_

She fetched her phone from her pocket and touched the screen. Lois was on the phone so she would get started with Clark. She was about to unlock her phone with her face when she reminded herself that she couldn't. Shaking her head, she got back to business. Sliding her fingers across the screen she found Clark's name and the little icon to send him a text. The keyboard came on display and she quickly sent him a message. She looked up and watched him pull out his phone and send her one back and the tone went off.

- _A little bit of both. Everything okay?-_

She grinned at his words. Just like her mother, somehow he always knew, even if it was just through words of a text message. She quickly typed again and thought back to her plan. _-I was wondering if you were free…-_

The tone went off again.

_-Of course, I'm always free for you. :) –_

She bit her lip and typed again pressing send. This was it. This was the moment before the start of her plan. She watched Clark look up from reading her message and she smiled and waved. He pushed back his seat and started to head over to her. He passed through the threshold of the double doors and she stood on the stairs, waiting.

He smiled at her. "Have fun with Oliver?"

"Pretty sure he had an experience he'll never forget." She smirked.

"Ah, one of those…"

"Nothing like what we have." She said. She didn't know why but she felt like he needed the assurance somehow.

"Good to know." He nodded. "So, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you had dinner plans this evening."

"Dinner? No." He shook his head. "You offering?"

"Yeah, I wanted to do something special. There's this really nice place across the street and I thought tonight maybe you could use a nice dinner."

"Sounds good."

"Okay, well be there for 8 o'clock sharp."

"It's a date."

' _Oh you have no idea.'_

"It's a date." She confirmed. "but, um, could you maybe not mention it to Lois. I don't want her to feel bad."

She could tell that he was going to question why she had made that certain request but before he could a loud voice barreled through the bullpen.

"Kent!"

"Sorry, that's Brady. I got to get back." He said pointing behind him.

"Oh, yes, go, go. Don't want to get you fired or anything. Somebody has to pay for that dinner."

He stifled a laugh and rolled his eyes. "See you later." He said heading back in.

Just then, from the corner of her eye, she saw Lois heading for the elevator from the copy room. Finally, she could see her face and she knew the one she was wearing in particular. She was a woman with a mission. There was a story she was chasing and that meant she had limited time to set this up. Darting off the stairs, with a jump, she used some superspeed and extended her arm just in time before the doors closed.

"Callie!" Lois exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were out and about with Oliver."

"You knew about that?"

"Smallville let it slip."

Callie nodded. ' _Information slippage. That's a good sign.'_

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Other than juggling deadlines like I'm trying out for Cirque du Soleil?" She quipped as she held onto the folders she was carrying against her chest.

"Well, would a dinner break hurt?"

"Dinner break?"

"I was wondering if you were free for dinner tonight, around 8 o'clock at that restaurant across the street?"

"I think I can manage to escape work a while for that."

"Awesome."

The elevator bell went off and the door opened.

"So, I'll see you tonight?" Lois asked as she exited the elevator.

"It's a date." Callie confirmed with a devious grin. "But could you not mention it to Clark if you see him? I don't want to make him feel bad."

The same expression Clark had had on his face came across Lois'. As she was about to say something the elevator doors closed. Callie was grateful to be able to evade answering why they couldn't say anything to the other. She hit the button for the ground level and waited. The vibration and text tone of her phone caught her attention. She silently prayed it wasn't Clark or Lois cancelling and was semi-relieved when she saw it was Chloe.

- _Meet me at Watchtower.-_

She knew that Chloe had to talk to her, but she was hoping that it wasn't serious. She was going to need back-up for this plan to work and she needed all the hero help she could get.

~/~

Chloe stepped away from the computer and stared out the stained glass window. She had sent Callie a text to the number Oliver had given her but she didn't know when she would respond. She was still going over information she and Emil had gathered and really needed to notify Callie. This could be the stepping stone that Callie had been hoping for. She knew she should be elated that this could be a breakthrough on getting Callie home, but she couldn't help but feel saddened.

"Hey, Chloe."

Chloe turned around and saw Oliver walk in.

"Oliver, what are you doing here?"

"Callie sent me a text to come to Watchtower."

Suddenly Chloe felt a gust of air filter into the center of the room. She thought Callie had finally arrived but the blonde hair threw her off and she noticed it wasn't Callie but a different Kent.

"Hey, Chloe." Kara said.

"Don't tell me that Callie texted you, too."

Kara frowned. "No. I came here to tell you that after dealing with the earthquake and scouring that part of the world nothing has come up on my front. I think Zod is hiding because he has something big planned."

"That's comforting." She sarcastically said.

"What's with the blinking dots." Oliver asked, pointing to the Watchtower screens.

"That's what I wanted to talk to Callie about. All the dots have to deal with the woman who put Callie here. There." She said pointing to the festival location. "There was a rip in the space time continuum. It was only for a moment but it was there. All the blinking dots are rips."

"So, whoever did this to Callie…" Kara started.

"Is literally disappearing into thin air. That's why you couldn't find that psychic that Callie saw." Oliver finished.

"How are we supposed to find her now?" Kara asked.

"I've been working with Emil. He thinks there's something we can do, but something tells me she might find Callie before we find her."

"Who might find me?" Callie asked walking into Watchtower.

"The Woman in Black." Chloe stated.

Callie turned white. "What about her?"

"That's why I called you here. When you got sick I did some digging around the festival. With the help of Emil, what I found was that there was a rip in time."

"A rip in time? At the festival?"

Chloe nodded. "And that wasn't the only one. There have been quite a few and there was one on June 26th."

"June 26th? The day I came here. That makes sense." She said with realization.

"We're keeping a close eye to detect if there are any other rips. Hopefully, that will lead us to her."

"And I can get some answers."

"Hopefully." Chloe said.

"That's why this plan has to work more than ever and I'm glad you're all here. Hi, Kara." She waved.

"What plan?" Kara asked, crossing her arms against her chest.

"Operation: _Clois_." Callie stated triumphantly.

"Clois? What's a Clois?" Oliver asked, confused.

"It's not a what. It's a who. Clark and Lois. I put both of their names together and came up with-never mind, there are more important things to discuss. I do have faith that Clark and Lois will find their way to each other," she said looking at Oliver, "However, a push in the right direction wouldn't hurt, especially if they need to work out some stuff before being ready to take that next step. It'll ensure a safe and happy future for us all but I'm going to need the help of each and every one of you to do it."

"To do what exactly?" Chloe asked, weary.

"Well…" Callie started to pace, "I sort of set a trap for them and I need your help to have surveillance from all sides. To make sure the plan is working."

"A trap?" Chloe questioned further.

"Well, it's not like I set a giant mouse trap, I just went to both of them and said that I was going to have dinner with each of them but when they get there I won't be there…."

"And they'll have to have dinner together." Chloe finished.

"Exactly."

"What if they tell each other about the dinner?" Oliver asked.

"I already covered that, but the both of them are working on separate stories anyway so I don't think they'll even have a chance if they wanted to."

"Why are we doing this?" Kara voiced.

Chloe almost forgot that not everyone present in the room knew about Callie.

"Lois and Clark are like my wallet and keys." Callie answered.

Oliver, Kara, and she looked at Callie strangely.

"You know, when you do that pat down of yourself every five minutes to make sure you still have your wallet and your keys? That's Clark and Lois to me. I just need to make sure they're in the right place and I didn't lose them because without my wallet and my keys, I can't get home."

They all nodded. Chloe even held back a chuckle. Callie always had the most unique analogies.

"Besides, I might not have that much time left, especially if the Woman in Black is lingering out there. It would just make me feel better if we did this. So, humor the future girl?" She asked.

Everyone seemed to relent and be intrigued by what Callie was about to explain of her plan.

"Okay, so we're going to need binoculars, two-way earpieces, the traditional black spy apparel, and code names."

"You want to rent a van while we're at it?" Oliver quipped.

"Nah." Callie blew off as if he were serious.

"Wait, did you just say code names?" Chloe inquired and slightly cringed.

"Yup, and no one calls me Girl Scout!" Callie demanded.

*/*

Chloe hunched behind the mailbox across from the restaurant. It was ten of eight and each person was stationed around on the street. Oliver was by the phone booth, Callie behind a parked car directly across from the restaurant, and Kara was by the magazine stand.

"Green Ranger. Come in, Green Ranger. What is your visual?" Callie's voice said over the com.

Chloe could practically hear Oliver wince at his code name as she muffled a laugh.

"Nothing yet."

"Velma. Hannah Montana. State your visuals, as well." Callie said.

"Uh, Hannah Montana here. Don't see them." Kara said.

"Nothing for me either." Chloe said, touching her ear piece.

"Do I really have to be the Green Ranger?" Oliver whined and now she sympathized.

"Do you _really_ want to hear my other options?

"...No."

Chloe laughed and rolled her eyes. Even though this could constitute as a horrible idea, it was a fun idea. She was having fun, even if the position she was in was uncomfortable. She hadn't had actual fun in a long time. Playing in cahoots with Callie, Oliver, and Kara made her feel like a kid again. Even though this was for Callie and to make sure to maintain her parents' relationship, which Chloe figured would be just fine, it was still silly and fun. Maybe Callie knew it would be. She had to, but she was doing it anyway.

"I see Legs." Oliver responded.

"I wouldn't say that, you'll make Pancakes flip." Chloe said to herself.

And like clockwork Callie chimed in.

"We are not calling her _Legs_!" She retorted, "Unless you want me to divulge more of what we discussed earlier today."

"No thanks, Pancakes."

Well, that seemed to be the end of that. Now Chloe was curious as to what they had discussed.

"Okay, so Whitesnake is here. Just leaves the Emu."

Chloe smiled at the codenames. She leaned her back against the mailbox once more and turned her head over her shoulder. Touching her earpiece she voiced, "I have visual. The Emu has arrived."

~/~

Lois rounded the corner of the street and started to walk speedily. She didn't want to be late like she always usually was. As she got closer to the restaurant she stopped to fix her shoe before she made it to the entrance. She looked down to check her watch. She had a few minutes to spare. This was a record for her.

"Lois?" a voice asked.

She knew the voice and when she looked up she matched it to Clark's confused face.

"Clark! What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"Callie and I were going to get dinner." Lois explained.

Clark's forehead wrinkled as he looked at her sideways. "Callie invited me out to dinner."

"So she invited both of us out without mentioning the other would be there?"

"Did she tell you not to mention it to me?"

Lois recalled back to the conversation in the elevator. At the tail end of their talk Callie had asked her not to say anything to Clark. Before she could question why the doors had closed. Now she knew that it had been intentional.

"Maybe. Did she say not to mention it to me?"

"Maybe." He answered.

Lois narrowed her eyes.

"I think we've been set up, Smallville."

"I think so, too."

She looked to the entrance then to him. "So, what do we do about it?"

"Well, I'm starving." He said eyeing her.

"Same. I haven't had a thing since I chased down my lead. And it'd be wrong to let a good dinner go to waste." She said inching closer to him.

"Absolutely." He opened the door for her. "Shall we?"

Lois blushed at the way he was looking at her again. "We shall."

~/~

"Wine?" the waiter asked after they had been seated outside on the patio of the restaurant, a reserved table under the name 'Kent'.

Clark looked at Lois and she gave him a slight nod.

"Yes." He said.

The waiter filled up their glasses with red wine and retreated back.

"Wine. Candlelight. Fancy table. She went all out." Lois said.

"I'm just disappointed that I didn't do it first." He commented.

He did find it rather amusing that he would have fashioned this dinner the same way.

"I don't mind. Though, I would have worn something different." She said looking down at her outfit that she had worn to work.

"No, you look beautiful." He said truthfully.

Her face slightly turned a bit of crimson and she replied, "It's cute, though, that she did all of this just to get us together. I wonder why she felt she needed to come up with this."

He thought back to his conversations with Callie. One stood out the day that she had recovered from the Woman in Black's attack on her. She had been watching Lois and him and had asked if they were okay. He wondered how deep her concern ran.

"I don't know. She mentioned something the other day about what happened to her and it affecting us, but I told her everything was okay."

"I think that the only way that affected us was by bringing us closer together."

Her words rang true. Clark stared into her hazel eyes. He felt that he could stare into them forever. A quiet night, a bottle of wine, dinner, and candlelight. Whatever Callie's purpose, it brought him this moment and he was relishing in it.

He extended his hand and grasped Lois', rubbing his thumb over it.

"I couldn't agree more."

She smiled brightly and he smiled back. He was sure that if he were human his face would be hurting by how much he was smiling.

He looked out onto the street and took it all in. Everything seemed quiet and he was able to have dinner with the woman he needed more than anything.

"Everything alright, Smallville?"

"It's perfect."

~/~

Callie watched diligently from her position as Clark and Lois were led out to the table she had reserved. Everything seemed to be going really well and she was more than pleased.

"They're sitting down. It all looks good so far." Callie radioed.

"And how long are we going to watch them?" Kara asked.

"Until I feel everything is secure, Hannah Montana."

"I still don't understand why you're calling me that."

"Because you get the best of both worlds. You'll get it later." She replied.

"I have something. I'm seeing the extension of a hand. Now…yes, that is a hand hold. Confirmation on a hand hold." Oliver said.

"I see it. Hand hold confirmed." Callie said smiling.

Callie knew all they needed was a nice dinner between the both of them and it would click and fall into place. She felt like patting herself on the back.

"Whitesnake has a pretty big grin on her face." Chloe commented.

"So does Emu." Kara said.

Callie looked at the both of them intently. She really looked and analyzed them. They were so at ease. Lois' hand was in Clark's. They were staring at each other and smiling. The world was lost to them. It was just them and no one else. She was going to have to take back that back patting. This wasn't something that came from just sitting down at one dinner alone. This had been going on.

"Oh my god. That's why it felt different. They got together and didn't tell me!" She whispered to herself.

She didn't know whether to be relieved that her feelings of atmospheric change had been due to the two of them getting together or be pissed that her fears of the change had been for naught since no one had informed her of the status adjustment in their relationship.

"No signs of awkwardness, right?" She radioed out.

"Nope."

"None."

"Zilch."

There it was. They were laughing. Her dad was laughing at something her mom said. He had that goofy grin that he always gets. Callie felt like an idiot. She had been so worried about them and questioning what she could do to make sure they were okay but it had been staring at her in the face the whole time. She was obsessed with the future and she didn't look at the present. They were fine.

"Oh Clark, you're so funny." Oliver said as he imitated a woman's voice.

Callie almost burst out laughing at the way he sounded.

"No, Lois. You're the funny one. You're also extremely beautiful." Kara answered in a deeper voice as they could all see Clark talking.

"Oh, Smallville. I don't know whether to say thank you or tell you to stop being so cheesy." Chloe chimed in.

Callie smiled at the interaction they were having. It was just like she was hanging out with Connor and Helena. She was about to enter the fun when just then she heard a door close. The car she was hiding behind then sped out of its space. Callie had been leaning against it and when it moved put her weight on the garbage can next to her. Her weight seemed to be too much and it fell over before she could use her powers to stop it. It made a loud sound and since Lois and Clark were sitting in the outside area she prayed that they were still stuck in their own little world. When she looked up she knew she was wrong as Clark's eyes connected with hers.

~/~

Just as Lois was about to put a fork into her dinner there was something in the distance that caught the corner of her eye. There had been a woman standing at the magazine stand the entire time they had been seated. She looked very familiar, but her face was buried behind a Daily Planet newspaper.

"What?" Clark asked.

"Nothing. I thought I saw your cousin for a second." She said shaking her head and going back to her dinner.

She watched as Clark turned around. "I don't see anyone."

Lois looked again and saw that the woman was gone.

"Maybe it's just my eyes playing tricks on me."

"I guess I must not be doing a good job if your eyes are roaming the street."

"Oh, you're doing _just_ fine." She cleared her throat and continued. "You know, I still have those tickets to the drive-in that I won at the festival."

" _You_ won?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

Lois rolled her eyes. "Details…"

Clark chuckled. "Well, if a certain someone is willing to forfeit her ticket…"

"I'm sure I can persuade her."

"Any idea what's playing?" He asked as he took a drink of wine.

"Some old movie called _That Touch of Mink_." His eyes went up in interest. She toyed with his hand. "But I know there will be only one touch I will be concerned with and it won't be a critter that becomes a coat." She coyly added and bit her lip.

She saw him almost choke on his wine and then swallow it back hard. She wanted to stay focused on teasing him a bit, but out of the corner of her eye again she could have sworn she saw a mop of short blond hair that resembled her cousin.

"Okay, now I know I must be seeing things because I swear I just saw Chloe crouching down behind that mailbox."

Clark looked puzzled then turned again in the direction she was starring in. She saw his facial expression become more tense as he concentrated. She assumed he was using one of his powers, most likely x-ray vision since he wasn't doing the squinty held tilt he did when he was using his super-hearing.

She watched as he looked at four points on the street. "We're not alone."

"No!" she gasped in disbelief. "We're being spied on?" she whispered.

"Three blonds and a future lady."

"Those sneaks!" she hissed amidst a chuckle.

Just then as a car pulled out of its spot the loud noise of something falling over drew their attention; and there she was— the ringleader. Her eyes were as wide as saucers. Lois Lane knew she should be pissed, but she couldn't deny that she was actually proud.

~/~

Callie's eyes enlarged as Clark looked over in her direction then in the directions of Oliver by the phone booth, Chloe behind the mailbox, and even Kara who had moved a few yards to a bench.

Pressing the talk button on the walkie talkie she announced, "We have been identified. I repeat we have been identified. Abort position! Abort position!"

She moved from her spot and just started running. Soon Chloe was behind her, then Oliver, then Kara. She and Kara were running at a normal human pace, so the whole group was running together.

"Never run in a straight line!" Callie called out.

The group ran then began to sprint in a zigzag formation through pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. Callie turned back and didn't see Clark or Lois following them, but she didn't want to stop. She was actually getting a kick out of it. She blamed the memories of her best friends for that.

"Why are we running at this speed?" Kara asked.

"No man left behind!" Callie exclaimed as her arm looped with Chloe's. Oliver grabbed Kara and they scampered in pairs. They ran past the Daily Planet and then around the corner into an alleyway. Oliver and Chloe were catching their breaths as Callie and Kara peaked around the wall.

"You think he followed us?" Oliver asked.

"If Kal-El followed us he'd already be here." Kara replied.

"That is true." Chloe commented.

"We must have looked like real idiots all running together." Oliver said.

The group all looked at each other then burst out laughing, sending echoes of it in the narrow space.

"What now?" Chloe asked.

"Ice cream?" Callie offered with a shrug and a smile.

~/~

"To orchestrate all that…I'm impressed." Lois gushed as she held tightly onto Clark's hand as he walked her home. "And a little proud."

He nodded, "You would be."

She playfully hit him. "Hey, I take it as a testament of how much our friends care about us. Besides, they got theirs. Did you see the way they scattered?"

Clark started to laugh. "That was funny."

"That had to be one of my most favorite parts of the night, Smallville." Lois chuckled. "I bet they were expecting to see you cut them off."

"And leave you? Never."

"Good answer." She said as she moved closer to him and latched her left hand on his left arm that already held her hand.

As they moved toward her apartment building a familiar face caught her eye at the door. With a wink he tipped his hat then opened the door for them.

"Miss Lane. Mr. Kent. Have a pleasant evening."

"Thanks, Larry." She said and heard Clark repeat the same.

They were still hand in hand as they entered the elevator. She remembered another moment in this elevator that had happened not too long ago. She couldn't believe all that had happened in that short amount of time. It had been a little over a month and yet it seemed like years.

A shiver went down her spine and she looked up to see Clark staring at her, his eyes asking her a question. Before she knew it she was unconsciously giving him a nod and being whisked in a twirl before feeling her back firmly against the wall of the elevator. His mouth was on hers as his hands seemed to roam everywhere on her body. She moaned as his lips sucked at her neck and his hands…well she couldn't pinpoint the exact location of his hands, but it felt damn good.

Her eyes glanced up and caught the rising numbers indicating that they were almost on her floor. For the sake of not being caught by one of her neighbors, some of whom still mentioned the night the ' _muscled_ ' man brought her screaming down the hallway. She reluctantly pushed them both back to the center of the elevator. When the bell rang they both broke away from each other and straightened their clothes.

She smiled, "Sometimes I swear you have more than two hands."

They both made sideways glances at each other and she smirked as Clark straightened his tie. They seemed to walk at a normal pace down the hallway at first then hastily made it to her door. She plunged the key into the lock and turned it, opening her door in the process.

Before she fully opened it she turned to him and offered, "You want to come inside?"

"Sure," he answered.

Now, they could have acted like two cool, mature adults, simply walking into her apartment, where she would have gone into the kitchen and made them coffee. Instead, in a mixture of desire and raging hormones, Clark scooped her up in his arms again, kicking the door shut with his foot. Her hands grasped at his expansive back as she clung to him, her feet dangling a few inches off the ground. Lips met lips. Shoes were off. Hands, large and small, grabbed at clothing rashly and fumbled with buttons and fasteners as they moved clumsily toward the wall. Once her body hit it the movement sent the lamp on her side table crashing to the floor. Neither of them cared.

"Bedroom." She managed to gasp.

Again she was lifted up and carried as her exposed skin felt a cool rush of air, sending another shiver down her spine. Once she was sitting on the bed she managed to get her brain in order enough to push Clark's dress shirt off his shoulders, revealing his beautifully sculpted chest.

He leaned into her and she found herself lying down and looking up at his face—his extremely angel-like, handsome face. He kissed her softly, his hand running through her hair. She couldn't think of anything more blissful than being with him in that moment. She could only imagine what being intimate would feel like since she already felt she was ready to shatter from his touch. How the day had gone from her being worried about Clark running off to save the day, to making out with him in the copy room, to talking him off a jealous ledge because of Callie and Oliver spending some time together, to their dinner rendezvous courtesy of Callie, she didn't know. She had never thought that they would have ended up in their current position.

Suddenly, her mind began to divert from thinking about the feeling of Clark's touch and on to the consequences of Clark's touch. There was the thought of Callie and who she was…and more precisely how she got to be _who_ she was and the act that was the catalyst. Lois had not given thought about that, but now it wouldn't leave her mind. Now all that she could think of was: could this be the moment? If they went forward with what they both clearly wanted to do would it result in creating another life, in creating Callie?

"Clark." She called out as his lips were trailing down her chest to the tip of her lace bra.

He was not listening to her or must have thought she called out in pleasure, which there was a mixture in there, because he continued what he was doing.

"Clark, wait, you have to stop." she gasped.

He immediately halted his actions and looked up at her with concern. She felt bad because of what he must be thinking and she didn't want him to think he had done something wrong.

"Clark, I…I want you to know that I _really_ want to do this."

"Me too." He nodded and went to kiss her lips. She stopped him just before he made contact and pushed him back lightly as she began to sit up on her forearms.

"You didn't let me finish." She shook her head and looked down. "This is so stupid."

"Stupid?" he questioned.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, not this. _This,_ " she motioned between the both of them, "This isn't stupid and what we were doing surely wasn't stupid, it's my reason for stopping."

His eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"While you were doing very _very_ delightful things," she bit her lip and got lost remembering what he had been doing. She shook her head again and focused. "My mind went off track. One second I'm in the moment and the next my mind is thinking of Callie."

"Callie?"

' _How am I going to explain this?'_ She thought.

"What we were about to do, it….it could have some consequences."

"Because of me, you mean."

"Yes."

He looked so downcast that she realized she must have said something wrong.

"Clark, it's not because you're different. It's what could happen if we allow ourselves to go that far."

By the look on his face he still didn't seem to getting it. She rolled her eyes slightly.

' _You're such an innocent farm boy.'_

"You know, what happens when a man and woman become intimate and then months later…" She tried to press.

"Oh. Oh!" His eyes widened.

"I mean, I know, at least I think I know, that it won't happen yet, but it's still in my head. I just think maybe we're moving really fast."

"And you want to slow it down."

"Right. Slow it down." She nodded.

' _Don't look at his chest. Don't look at his chest.'_

He nodded but she quickly added, "but _not_ come to a screeching halt. Just thought I would throw that in there." She smiled.

"Okay. We'll take things slow. Do it right."

Lois latched her hand behind his head and plunged his lips down on hers. Mouths started to open, tongues dueled it out, and she could feel her body heating up. They both jumped back.

"That's…we can't…" She panted.

"Right…slow…" He replied, catching his breath.

"Slow…right…"

Lois reached for her now button-less blouse as Clark reached for his dress shirt. Both tried to get their clothes situated as best as they could and tried to calm down their breathing. Clark helped her up and they slowly made it down her hallway and back to the front door. As they stood in front of it they silently stared at each other. Clark bent down and gave her a slow and sweet kiss.

He broke away and breathed, "I _really_ need to go because if I don't…"

"Yeah…" Lois replied, feeling her previous daze reoccurring and she clutched her shirt closed harder, trying to gain some semblance.

"I had a really good night."

"Me, too."

"We should do it again, this time on our terms."

"Absolutely." She agreed.

They both couldn't seem to help themselves and leaned in to kiss each other again. There was gravitational pull. They were two magnets whose force to cling to each other was too great.

"I'll call you later." He said and then his lips met hers once more.

"Mmmhmm." She could feel the kiss deepening and knew that she had to end it. Placing her free hand flat on his chest, she used it as a springboard to push herself away from him. "Seriously, you have to go."

Clark smiled and opened the door. "Good night."

She bit her bottom lip then smiled. "Good night."

The door finally closed and Lois was alone. She placed her back against the hard surface and let out a long deep breath. It certainly had been a good night.

~/~

After leaving Lois' apartment Clark had to walk for a while to relieve the pressure in certain areas of his anatomy. It had taken everything he had to leave but he knew in a way she was right. They were going fast and her concerns were legitimate. So, they would slow things down. There was no rush. They both had the same destination and taking the scenic route was fine with him.

When he finally made it back to the farm he saw that the light was on. When he entered he saw Callie sitting on the couch with the television on.

"Somehow I thought you and the rest of the A-Team would be at Watchtower planning your next mission."

Callie turned the TV off and looked up at him as he entered the room.

"Our plan came together, somewhat, so we decided on ice cream then home."

"Thank you for dinner."

"Thank Oliver. I roped him into paying for it."

He winced a little at the mention of his name, but let it go.

"You know, about dinner…" He began.

He watched her take a deep breath and look down at her hands, which were folded in her lap.

"I knew this was going to come up sooner or later."

"Why?" He asked as he sat next to her.

"I confess that I had all these feelings inside worrying about the two of you and not wanting you guys to lose what you were starting to have and I thought I was okay, but the feelings just festered beneath and…"

"I understand. I sort of had the same experience today." He said sinking more into the couch.

"You did?" She asked leaning back.

"I was jealous that you went out with Oliver. A little while after the phone call I went out and somehow, maybe it was subconscious, I could hear your voice so that's what I ran to. I saw you and Oliver in a hug and caught a tail end of the conversation. It stung seeing you confiding in someone else."

"I knew I felt something…" he heard her whisper, "but Clark, I didn't mean for you to feel—"

"I know." He cut her off. "I know you can't tell me things because it's not safe. I accept that you have your secrets. I was reminded that for years I did the same thing. So, I trust you and I believe in you. Whatever you have to do, I know you're doing it for a good reason."

"You want to know what we were talking about?"

"Callie, you don't have to…"

"Well, it's pretty obvious now—it was about you and Lois. I was still worried that because of seeing me the way you did I put a strain on your relationship with her. That's what I was confiding to him."

"But when you asked me the other day I told you that we were fine."

"My ears heard that but my eyes didn't see it. The two of you seemed awkward around each other and my mind assumed all kinds of things and now that I clearly see that I was wrong…well, you know what happens when you assume."

He nodded and internally reprimanded himself for not telling her about the budding romantic relationship that had been starting between him and Lois.

"We should have said something to you, but it's all still new to us, that we…"

"I get it. I think we all overlooked some things. Hence all the misunderstanding."

He nodded again.

She looked straight ahead and said, "But that was basically what my conversation with Oliver was about. I care so much about you and Lois and I couldn't find a way to say anything to you guys about it, because talk about awkward, so I created that whole dinner ruse."

She turned to him and added, "Truth is…I wish I could tell you everything. To you, to Lois, but you already know that, right? I'm so close to you guys and I want to say everything that's on my mind and tell you all about my life and experiences I've had, but it's so frustrating that I can't."

"Because time travel isn't something to mess with."

"Exactly. My ultimate fear is ruining the future and changing it. Coming out of that dream, I do feel stronger and instead of just sitting around and praying that it doesn't happen, I decided to do something about it."

He leaned his shoulder into her and said, "Maybe, we just need to have faith that everything will fall into place."

"You're the second person who has said that to me today. _Faith_. Want to know what's different about it?"

"What?"

"I feel more at ease hearing it from you." She grinned.

Looking at her, at her face and her eyes, again he questioned himself how he could be so jealous. Maybe it had been like she had said; the ears heard one thing but the eyes saw another. Well now his eyes and ears were working together and everything was clearer. He smiled at her.

She continued, "I know that I said that I can't say much about me or the future, but I'll give some leeway. One question. You can ask me one question about anything and I will answer it as completely as I can. So, shoot."

One question? She was giving him one question? What could he ask? Should he ask anything at all? She didn't have to do this but he she was doing it so let him know how much he meant to her. That if he couldn't know everything she was giving him a chance to know a little something about her. He was moved.

There was one thing that he wanted to know and if he knew it then he wouldn't have to ask anything else. He looked her straight in the eyes that reflected his own.

"In the future…are you happy?"

Her face morphed into one of surprise. "Am I _happy_?"

He nodded. "Your life, has it been happy?"

She broke eye contact with him and he could see she was in deep thought.

"There have been some bumps, like in any life, but mine is unique and is just… _the best_." She gushed the last part. She smiled as she looked into space. "I grew up in so much love and have so much appreciation for what my parents have done for me and for others. I've learned _so_ much and have been able to experience things people could only imagine. I wouldn't trade the way my life has been for anything. I'm very lucky." She turned to him, "And I'm _very_ happy."

He could tell that she was telling the truth and this was the pertinent reason for her not wanting her future to change. He already knew that a future with Lois would be happy and after knowing Callie and the possibility of having a future with her added to that even more so. He didn't want that future to change either and what he said about faith he meant. He had faith that everything would come into its own, that he was meant to have that future. Hearing from Callie how much she loved her life and seeing it on her face gave him even more strength to keep that future vision alive for him now and to keep it a reality for her.

"Good. That's all I wanted to know."

~/~

Callie grumbled when she heard her cell phone off. She had been in the middle of a nice dream. She had been in her future and it was Thanksgiving, at least she thought it had been Thanksgiving. Everyone, and she meant everyone from relatives to JLA members, was at the farm and she was laughing and having such a nice time with them. Of course, one of the few nights that she was able to sleep like that had to be interrupted by a stupid little communications device.

She picked up the phone from the coffee table and read the missed call: Chloe.

She groaned as the text message tone sounded.

- _Meet me at Watchtower. It's important.-_

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She looked down at her apparel and she was in pair of gym shorts and a tank top. Walking over to the closet she pulled down one of Clark's zipped up sweatshirts. She put it on and saw that it was gigantic on her.

"Oh well."

She looked up the stairs and wondered if she should wake him up. She shook her head. Someone should be able to sleep in the house. Besides, whatever it was it must have been just for her since she didn't hear Clark or Kara- who had come home to the farm after patrolling late and went straight to bed in the guest room- getting dressed or coming down the stairs.

With a sigh she opened the front door and hoped that whatever it was she could come back home and go back to sleep.

She sped as fast as she could and walked through the double doors of Watchtower.

"You rang…. _and_ texted…"

Chloe rolled in her chair and stood up, looking tentatively at Callie. This was a long cry from the Chloe who had been all smiles and giggles when they were getting ice cream after their mini-spy adventure.

"I talked to Dr. Hamilton."

Callie was full awake now.

"So you found her?"

Chloe took a breath and said, "Actually, the news is a little better than that."

Callie shook her head in disbelief, " _Better_? What's better than finding the woman that put me here?"

She watched Chloe tighten her lips then heard her say, "We found a way to send you home."


	30. Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Power/Glory of Love

**Chapter Twenty-Nine:** _**The Power/Glory of Love** _

Chloe stared at her computer screen. She read and reread all the material that Emil had sent to her. He had done it; exactly like he had discussed with her. He had manipulated the system at Watchtower to track the Woman in Black but then he had stumbled onto something else. His scientific intellect and curiosity for time travel had made him dig deeper. The deeper he dug the more the ideas started to flow from him to her. Then he had sent her the e-mail she couldn't pull her eyes away from. The email that she had responded to, but had quickly put back on her screen.

_Chloe-_

_I think I may have uncovered important information concerning Callie. I believe I have found a way to make it possible to get her home. Let her know that I need to see her as soon as possible._

_-Emil_

Chloe knew she should feel elated that something Callie had longed so much for was finally within her grasp. However, all she could feel was sadness. After a night of being able to feel as if she were free from gloom, having fun for the first time in a real long time, the melancholy that had surrounded her returned.

Callie was going home. Callie was leaving 2009. Callie was leaving them. Callie was leaving her.

She had grown so used to having the teenage girl around, injecting her whimsical attitude into her life. She had been a factor in bringing Clark Kent back from the dead and in some respects, like after the adventure they had had, she had brought Chloe Sullivan back as well. Thinking that she would no longer be around was hurting her heart. It was yet another person important to her that would soon be gone.

' _But will she really be gone? She's going to the future. You'll see her again.'_

"Or will I?" She questioned. "What am I saying? Of course I will."

Pulling out her phone she quickly called Callie's phone number. She knew it was the middle of the night, but it was important. She knew that Callie would want to know about this immediately, no matter what time it was. When she didn't pick up she sent a text instead.

Chloe started to drum her fingers on the desk. She watched the clock and just as a minute passed by she heard the double doors of Watchtower open up.

"You rang…. _and_ texted…"

Chloe heard her voice and took a deep breath. This was it. She rolled in her chair and stood up, looking tentatively at Callie. She looked like she had been woken up and Chloe felt bad, but this was important.

"I talked to Dr. Hamilton."

She noticed that Callie's eyes were wide and focused on her. She was fully awake now.

"So you found her?"

Chloe took another breath and said, "Actually, the news is a little better than that."

She tried to be cheerful, but she couldn't tell if she had pulled it off.

Callie shook her head in disbelief, " _Better_? What's better than finding the woman that put me here?"

Chloe pursed her lips and stared Callie in the eyes. This was the news she had been waiting for. Chloe had to keep reminding herself that.

' _Just rip the band-aid off. Just tell her. She needs to know.'_

"We found a way to send you home."

She waited a moment and studied Callie's face. She was essentially a deer caught in headlights. Then, suddenly, Callie projected herself at Chloe and wrapped her up in a tight hug.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me." Callie's voice cracked.

Chloe slowly brought her arms up to hug Callie back. She was happy for her, she honestly was, but Chloe was still overcome with sorrow. She could feel Callie's bright smile and even a tear or two falling on her shoulder, but Chloe's face just remained blank as she stared at the open doors. Perhaps Callie felt what she was feeling because when she backed away and broke from the hug her smile had faded.

"But this means I'll be leaving soon." She stated.

Chloe nodded.

Callie looked at the ground then back up to her.

"Don't let anybody know, yet. I want to be the one to tell them."

Just then the intercom started to beep indicating that there was an incoming message on the screen. Chloe moved to the computer and accepted the communication. The email that had been on her screen disappeared and an image of Emil popped up.

"Chloe," then his eyes found Callie in the room as well, "Oh, Callie, you're there. Excellent! I've been studying the data obtained from the days with the time rips and I think I may have a solution for you. When this woman time travels she creates a tear in the universe, but leaves excess energy before it repairs itself. By my calculations, we can manipulate that energy."

"And that's how you'll send me back?" Callie questioned.

Emil nodded on the screen. "I'm working on a device at the moment, that when programmed to a previous rip, should take you back home through the rip you came through. There may be some risks involved, but if we can make it precise there should be minimal problems. I should be done soon; I just need to perform some last minute touches and obtain some information needed from you. Also, we'll need to keep monitoring so we can find this woman's whereabouts. The rip only stays open for a short amount of time."

Chloe's eyes bounced from the screen and back to Callie.

"What kind of information will you need from me?"

"I'll need the exact time and date that you left in order to program the device."

Chloe watched as a fearful expression came over Callie's face. "But what if I don't know the exact time?"

"Don't worry, I have a technique that should help you to retract that information, but we'll have to meet tomorrow, or I should say today. How is the morning for you?"

"Fine, I guess." Callie answered awkwardly.

"Good. I'll see you around 10 am."

Callie's eyes met Chloe's then she shifted them back to the screen.

"Okay. I asked this of Chloe and I'll ask this of you, too. Let's just keep this under wraps for now. I'll call a meeting for the afternoon and brief everyone on what is going on."

"Sounds good. Good night, Callie." Emil then turned to Chloe and nodded, "Chloe."

Then the video disconnected and the email popped back up. Chloe could tell that the atmosphere had definitely changed once again. It was all changing so fast.

Callie turned to Chloe. Her eyes were a bit glassy, but Chloe could tell that Callie was giving it her all to keep a brave face.

"I guess I'll see you again later."

Chloe nodded. "Are you going to be okay? Telling Clark and Lois about this, I mean."

Callie shrugged, "We all knew this day would come. I'll just have to have _faith_ , I guess."

The word faith and tone used rang in Chloe's ears. Before she knew it, Callie had disappeared and she was alone in Watchtower once again. Chloe turned back to her computer and stared at the e-mail. Taking a breath she exited out of it and focused on watching the city.

~/~

Callie walked through the side door and into the kitchen. After leaving Watchtower she had come back to the farm but hadn't gone back into the house. Instead she had lain on the couch in the loft of the barn and had stared at the repaired hole in the roof she had fallen through about a month prior. She wanted to go home so badly and when she was told that there was a way her whole body had burst with joy, but then she realized that it wouldn't be so easy to just leave. 2009 had become her second home. She didn't know how she was going to tell them. She loved them, all of them, and she didn't want to make them sad. However, it had to be done.

She had finally mustered up enough strength and had made it into the house. The sun had begun to rise and she could hear someone awake already up the stairs. She carefully walked up to the second level and her ears perked up when she heard the shower running. She slowly walked toward the bathroom door and could hear a muffled voice through the running water. As she got closer she heard a male voice singing.

"… _I don't wanna lose you. I could never make it alone… I am a man who will fight for your honor. I'll be the hero you're dreaming of. We'll live forever, knowing together that we did it all for the glory of love..._ "

Callie cupped her hands around her mouth as she muffled the laugh that was desperately trying to get out.

" _You'll keep me standing tall. You'll help me through it all. I'm always strong when you're beside me. I have always needed you. I could never make it alone_ …"

Callie started to mouth the chorus and began to dramatically move in the hallway, arms flailing, her fist to the ceiling and then clutching her chest. Shelby trotted up the stairs and just stared at her. She then pointed to the dog and continued to mouth the words as she serenaded him.

She waited for the next part, but, unexpectedly, she heard the shower shut off. She was highly amused by what she had just stumbled upon. She knew from prior occurrences that her dad sang in the shower when he was extremely happy. Her smile started to falter when she remembered that he had been out with her mother the night before. Whatever events happened that made him that happy she didn't want to know about.

Just that minor thought triggered a memory. She cringed remembering a time, not too long ago, when she was looking for a sweater in her mother's closet. She had been on her way to the movies with Helena and found something startling.

_Callie moved the hanging clothes and dug deeper into the walk-in closet._

" _I know the purple sweater is here somewhere." Callie said, shuffling through more clothes._

_She was on her mother's side of the closet and had almost reached the end._

" _We're going to be late." Helena said coming into the space._

" _No, we're not. It's in here and then we'll get to the movie in a flash."_

_Callie moved a few more items out of the way then stopped when she spotted a French maid costume and a Metropolis PD uniform all the way at the end._

_Her head tilted sideways as she mumbled, "What the-?"_

" _What? Let me see!" Helena moved in closer and nudged her out of the way. "Halloween costumes?" She suggested._

" _Halloween costumes are in the attic." Callie stated directly._

" _Oookay. Undercover costumes?"_

_Callie liked that idea. Yes, she liked it very much. It was much better than what her mind had been currently stuck on. No, she did not even want to think about that and wanted to rid her mind of it completely._

" _That must be it. It's undercover stuff. It has to be. Not used for anything else. Nope." She shook her head._

" _Gives new meaning to the 'officer '_ _ **interrogating**_ ' _the French maid.'" Helena said, wiggling her eyebrows._

" _OH MY GOD WHY WOULD YOU EVEN SAY THAT?" Callie exclaimed._

" _Have you_ _ **met**_ _your parents? Besides, you told me about the time you walked in on-"_

_Callie placed her hand over Helena's mouth. She extended her index finger from her free hand and pointed it at Helena._

" _You swore that you would never utter any of those stories ever again. Now, I am going to remove my hand from your mouth. We are going to exit this closet, forget we even saw those outfits, forget all about the purple sweater, and go catch our movie. Okay?"_

_Helena nodded and Callie removed her hand._

"… _them doing it." Helena finished. "Hey, do I see a bunny costume, too? Your parents are kin-ky."_

_Callie scowled and her eyes flashed red, but she suppressed her anger. She pushed Helena out of the closet and then exited herself, slamming the door shut as if something were to attack her._

" _I hate you." Callie growled through narrow eyes._

Callie rolled her eyes and then cringed again. That could have been the moment that Callie's love for bunnies ended, but she liked to keep that memory tucked deeply in the depths of her mind.

"I don't want to know." She whispered and ran back down the stairs. "I don't want to know."

She walked over to the cabinets, pulled down a bowl, and a cereal box. Then she opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk, placing each item on the island. As she poured the cereal and milk into the bowl she muttered once again, "I don't want to know."

"Don't want to know _what_?" Clark's voice abruptly asked, surprising her.

"Why those damn kids won't just let the bunny have the _Trix_." She said pointing to the box and then slammed it back on the counter behind her. "I mean, stupid kids. What do they know? I mean, it could just be a bunny. They don't _have_ to go and dirty the bunny up." She snapped, throwing her spoon harshly into the bowl.

Clark wore a perplexed expression on his face as he asked, "Is something bothering you?"

Callie realized how crazy she must look to him and worked to collect and calm herself.

"No, I'm fine. Nothing my future therapist can't handle."

His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her again. "Therapist?"

' _Damn. Why did I have to say that_?'

"It's just anxiety and some other issues. Not _bad_ issues, well depending on who you ask, but issues nonetheless that I've experienced in my life that, of course, I'll just be told to blame my parents on and, to be truthful, it **is** their fault in some ways because I mean, come on, there is a time and place for you to do _that_ and it certainly isn't lunchtime when your kid might happen to want to just visit her parents at their office, and yeah, I should have knocked, but still…"

She glanced up at Clark, whose eyes were very wide once again. She closed her mouth quickly. She really had to learn how to not babble.

"But I digress." She picked up her bowl of cereal and put some in her mouth, hoping that would shut her up.

Clark still kept his quizzical expression but then moved past her in the kitchen. She hoped that meant that he was going to quietly sweep her little rant under the invisible rug.

"So, I was thinking that since you missed dinner last night, that maybe Lois and I could take you out to lunch. And I promise it won't be like the lunch you babbled about just a few minutes ago." He said as he poured coffee into his mug.

Callie stopped chewing and hesitantly looked back up at him.

"Well, I doubt you'd be able to top my parents."

Clark held a slight grin on his lips. "Probably not. So, what do you say?"

She could see in his face how much he wanted to do this. She hated the words that were going to have to come out of her mouth.

"Actually, there's something that I need to talk to you about."

The light that was shining in his eyes began to dim. She could tell that he knew he was about to be informed of news that he might not want to hear.

"There are some things I want to bring up with everyone and I'm planning on holding a meeting at Watchtower this afternoon."

"Is everything okay?" He asked with concern.

She nodded. "Everything is fine, but it's important…"

He looked like she had hit him in the stomach and she hated herself for it, but there was nothing she could do. She didn't want to just blurt it out in the kitchen, no, that would be worse. She wanted to tell everyone together, but she didn't want to hurt them. She couldn't bear that.

"But what about after?" She offered.

"Absolutely." He smiled tenderly.

"Good."

That seemed to put him a little bit at ease and she sighed having gotten the first part over with.

Clark then began to hum as he went over to the counter and started to pour coffee. Callie started to feel the sadness peel away.

"So, I uh, didn't ask you last night how things went after you caught, what did you call us, the A-Team?"

She could see that he was trying to hide his own gigantic smile and failing miserably.

"It was great."

She nodded and, again, thanked him silently for not divulging why it was so great (she still did not want to know). As she moved around the kitchen she could faintly hear him humming again.

' _Must…resist…mocking…_ ' Her mind strained.

"You know, I had the strangest dream last night." She blurted out.

"Oh yeah? It wasn't another nightmare, was it?"

"No." She shook her head and assured him. "There was this guy and he was _fighting_ for my honor. This _hero_ that I was dreaming of, he told me that we were going to live forever…"

Clark stopped drinking his coffee and his eyes were piercing as they looked at her.

"Oh and there was one more thing. He," she placed her bowl down and suddenly exclaimed into song with her arms open, " _did it all for the glory of love_!"

Clark spit his coffee and began to cough. She couldn't hold back her smile any longer and snorted when she looked at him.

"I wanted to stop myself, I really did." She laughed. "Another issue I need to work on."

"Your therapist will have _his_ or _her_ work cut out for her." He quipped as he brushed the droplets of coffee that had gotten onto his shirt.

"Ha. Ha. But, that is true." She confirmed as she picked up her bowl again. "I get it. It's just that the power of love is a curious thing. It'll make one man weep, make another man _sing_ …"

Clark looked at her strange, like he had heard her words before but couldn't place them. Again she tried to keep herself at bay, but she didn't know how much time she had left to bust Clark of 2009's chops. She was going to take every opportunity handed to her.

"I mean, it's strong and it's sudden. It can even be cruel sometimes. But it…" she pointed at him and bopped her head, " _might just sa-ve your li-fe. That's the power of love_!"

She danced her way back towards the stairs and when she looked up saw Kara staring down with a perplexed face.

"Can't you feel it?" She inquired as she looked up at Kara.

"Feel what?"

"The power of love." Callie replied.

She glanced at Clark who did not look amused.

"Or not." She giggled.

She turned back Kara, a serious expression clouding over her amusement. "I have something important to discuss at Watchtower at noon, you think you could be there?"

"Sure." Kara nodded as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Awesome."

Callie stepped around Kara. She began to walk up the steps but then turned around again.

"One last thing." She said as her eyes landed on Clark.

"Callie…" he growled as he leered at her.

"No, this is serious."

She watched him ease back and listen to her.

"With you and Lois…" She looked down and cleared her throat then once again burst into song, " _They say that all in love is fair. Yeah, but you don't care…"_ She pointed to him _, "But you know what to do, when it gets hold of you…"_ She reached to the ceiling then brought her arms into her chest _._

"Callie, get up there right now!" Clark demanded and pointed up the stairs.

"Okay, okay. _Sheesh_. You try and sing and this is what happens. What happened to freedom of speech? Does that not include freedom of song? Does that only exist in the shower?" She called back while trudging up.

"In my house!" He called back.

Her mouth fell open as she leaned on the railing and looked down at him.

"Way to suddenly be the parental unit!" She complained.

Even though she was amused with Clark acting the way she was used to in the future it was still annoying, as well. She just hoped her accusation of him acting like a parent didn't affect him much. Though, when she turned away from him she missed the biggest smile yet on his face.

~/~

Lois reorganized her desk for the third time. She didn't know why, but she was antsy and needed to put her hands to work. When she had gotten to the Daily Planet basement bullpen she immediately started to type up the rest of her current articles and work towards finishing them before the her surprise she had accomplished that goal. However, a call had come in about a ten car pile-up on the freeway, detaining any free time. Thankfully, no one was gravely injured.

She made her way to the scene and got her quotes from various onlookers, but on her way back to the Planet she heard of another crash on the Metropolis Bridge. A car had hit _something_ in the road _,_ which ranged from a man to Big Foot when she called her source in the police department, and spun into the rail where it had been tipping over the edge. Miraculously, the car was pushed back onto the road and a red and blue blur had been seen. Lois had smiled to herself about that the whole ride back.

Once she arrived back in the bullpen she dedicated herself to organizing her desk. Even though she liked the organized mess she usually had there was nothing else to do. Her eyes traveled over to the empty desk across from her. She was waiting for him. She knew that much. She needed that other end of the conversation, that banter they had, and those ocean colored eyes staring back at her. But he was out saving the world and that made her heart beat faster. She bit her lip then shook her head and went back to her desk.

Sighing, she asked herself, "What am I doing?"

Instead of neatly putting away the folders she plopped them back on the desk.

"If he comes in and sees my desk all nice and neat he's going to ask me what's wrong."

So, she spread out her papers, leaned back in her chair, and tried to curb the feeling in her gut. She didn't even know what it was about. She knew it wasn't about Clark, or at least all about him. It was something else.

The phone on her desk began to ring and she quickly picked it up, hoping it was another story to occupy her mind.

"Lois Lane, your choice for fabulous reporting at the Daily Planet."

"Hey, Lois, it's Callie."

Lois was surprised to hear Callie's voice, but delighted as well. She was still entertained with the thoughts of dinner the night before. That girl was one of a kind and she again began to feel proud. If anyone's kid was going to come up with a plan like that, executed in a covert, militarized manner, it was certainly going to be hers.

"Now, is this secret agent Callie or regular Callie?" She asked with a grin.

"My double 'O' days are done for right now, so, it's just regular Callie."

"Well, for what it's worth, it was nice what you did, for whatever reasons you did it and I won't ask, but it led to a very nice night and I'm grateful to you for that."

"I just, I really care about the two of you. I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Well, to put your mind at ease everything is better than okay. So, not that I mind the chat, but I have the feeling there's another motive for this call." Lois pried.

"And you would be right. Good career choice with the whole investigative journalist thing."

Lois could hear the nervousness in her voice. Whatever she was calling about must be important if it was making her that flustered.

"Getting back to the point, I'm sort of holding a little meeting at Watchtower at noon and was hoping you would be there."

"Of course. Is everything okay?"

Lois felt her gut turn again. Now, she knew what it was that had been bothering her that morning. She didn't know how she could have known it, but maybe it was her motherly instincts kicking in. Now, she could hear it in Callie's voice. Whatever news she had was the kind of news that was going to change everything.

"Everything's great. So, you'll be there?"

"I'll be there." She managed to say.

"See you at noon."

"See ya."

Then she heard the click of the dial tone and placed her phone back on the receiver. She stared at it for a few moments while her mind tried to figure out what it was that the meeting was going to be about. Her mouth fell open a bit as a sad thought came to her mind.

Before she could dwell on it something else stirred inside her. It was a familiar feeling, one of warmth, and her eyes widened a bit. She turned to her left and saw him walk in. She bit her bottom lip in response as he ran his fingers through his hair, walked through the threshold of the doorway into the bullpen, and placed his messenger bag down to the ground next to his desk. Their eyes met and he smiled at her.

"Hello." He said with his blue, with a hint of green swimming in there, eyes staring at her.

She smiled wide, got up from her desk and went for her fifth cup of coffee.

In a low voice she replied, "Someone's had a busy morning."

"It seems like the city is trying to keep me engaged." He said from behind her.

Suddenly she felt his hand grasp her arm and she was turned so she was facing him. Her cup of coffee almost went splashing but Clark's quick reflexes prevented that from happening and he placed the cup gently on his desk. Her hand, now free from the coffee, crept its way up his chest and started to fiddle with his tie.

"The city is going to have to learn how to share."

He smiled again as he watched her hand on his tie.

"I missed you this morning."

"I missed you, too. It's boring when you're not here. There's no one to tease from across my desk when I'm working."

"Is that all you like me for? To tease me so you can be amused?" He asked as his expression changed to a playful sad.

"That and so I can have some eye-candy to look at." She smirked.

"So, I'm your entertainment and eye-candy?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Maybe a little bit more." She said as her hand inched up.

He inched closer and held in a gasp. "I'm listening."

"You help me with my spelling."

"Well, you do spell simple words incorrectly at an alarming rate."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"And you always have that nagging way of doing the right thing and having it rub off on me."

"I try." He drawled in a deep voice that sent a shiver up her spine.

"And then there's that whole thing where you want to protect the world."

"And you." He added.

"Well, this Earth girl can take care of herself." She whispered.

"That won't ever stop me." He said in a firm voice.

She found herself biting her bottom lip again.

' _How could one man be so sexy without even trying? He truly is an alien.'_ She thought.

She could feel his large hands on her hips and her eyes darted around them. Exactly how far was it from their desks to the copy room? Would anyone notice if Clark supersped them away? How the hell was his chest so rock hard underneath her hand?

"Lane! Kent! Mayor called a press conference in an hour about the recent accidents in the city. I want you two on it!" Randall yelled from his office.

Lois and Clark jumped back from each other and found some balance. Both released deep breaths and looked toward their editor's office. Randall peeked out his door and eyed the both of them.

"You got it." Clark said after clearing his throat.

Lois nodded in his direction and once he was at ease he went back into his office. Lois then grabbed her bag as Clark grabbed his notepad. They walked together to the elevator, bodies close but not touching, and she pressed the button.

"Callie called." She said, making careful conversation.

"About the meeting?" He inquired.

"Yeah." She breathed. "Any idea what it's about?"

"She wouldn't say. She said she wanted to tell everyone when we were together."

"I think that-" She began.

"I know." He cut her off.

She glanced over at him and he gave her an encouraging smile.

The door to the elevators opened at the bell went off signaling for them to enter. She walked in first and Clark followed. Her left hand hung at her side but suddenly she felt Clark's right hand envelope it with warmth. He entwined his fingers in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. Whatever was coming they would face it together. They would support each other, no matter what the news was. They were no longer alone. With those thoughts swimming in her mind, Lois couldn't deny the smile forming on her lips as the doors closed.

~/~

Callie stood in front of the double doors of Watchtower. It was just about 10 am. Her heart was pounding as she yet again thought about what was to come. These were the steps to getting her home. She was elated, ecstatic, but terribly nervous. She was nervous for herself, for her family back home, for the people that were her family in 2009, whether they knew it or not.

Taking a breath she closed her eyes and listened to the voices of those close to her in her head. Words of support swarmed her mind. The voices were telling her that she could do it, that everything would be okay.

Opening her eyes she pushed the doors open and saw Chloe and Emil waiting for her.

' _Let's rock._ ' She thought.

~/~

Chloe looked at Emil as he prepared for Callie's arrival. She felt like all she had been doing all morning had been staring at the clock. Of course, that wasn't true, Metropolis had had some suspicious disturbances that she was keeping an eye on, but her attention always seemed to travel back to the clock. When Emil had come into Watchtower he hadn't uttered anything to her about the "procedure" he was going to do on Callie. She was a bit alarmed about that. The times she wanted to ask him seemed to be the prime moments he was concentrating on something. Usually, Chloe would still speak her mind, but she held back, keeping faith that the good doctor wasn't going to something that would harm Callie.

She glanced back at the clock. It was a quarter to ten. It was all going to be happening soon. While she was minimizing the programs that kept a watchful eye on the city for its heroes, Emil started to move the couches and roll them out.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she sat up from her chair.

"I need to make room for what I plan to do."

' _Well, since he brought it up…'_ she thought.

"You still haven't told me what that is."

Just then the double doors opened and Callie came strolling in, determination marked all over her face, her body straight and tall.

"Help me, Emil-wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

Callie seemed calm and in control. Chloe wished that she felt that way or, at least, looked that way. She kept telling herself that she trusted Emil and whatever he was going to do, but parts of her still worried.

' _Worried for Callie or worried that it'll work?_ '

Chloe shook her head. She had to stop thinking that way. She couldn't be selfish about this.

Emil extended his arm toward the couch he had rolled out towards the center of the room.

"Have a seat."

"Is my therapy finally starting?" Callie beamed and jumped to sit on the couch, then leaning back with her hands behind her head.

"I'm sorry, Callie. I'm not licensed for that."

She moved her arms back down, then, motioned one in front of her chest like a hook, saying, "Darn. Maybe one day."

Chloe suppressed a chuckle. Callie always was able to use humor in any situation. She admired that about her. She still seemed so brave. She gave her a lot of credit; actually, she gave Lois and Clark a lot of credit for raising someone as incredible as she was.

Hearing commotion by the computers, her eyes shifted to Emil who was typing away at the keyboard.

"In order for my device to work, and get you home, I need to know precisely what happened the day you left your timeline. More specifically, the exact time you left it."

"I think someone is a little sleep deprived because I already told you that I wasn't exactly keeping track when it happened."

"I understand, but the mind, especially the Kryptonian mind I'm learning, is very advanced. We may not be able to remember things right away but the information is secreted deep in our subconscious. We just need to dig it out."

Suddenly, memories of Summerholt came to the forefront of Chloe's mind. She recalled their work on memory retrieval and the different tactics that they had used. Kryptonite had been utilized in order to infiltrate a person's mind. She turned her head in every direction trying to spy any equipment Emil might have that mimicked Summerholt in any way and any containers that might be made out of lead that he may have brought in.

' _Don't see anything, but I have to be sure.'_

"You're not thinking about doing something to her like the doctors at Summerholt, are you?"

"While I have read work from that institute, what I plan on doing is safer than that." He answered.

"Which _is_?" Callie pressed.

"Hypnosis."

"Hypnosis?" Chloe and Callie asked in unison.

"What are the risks?" Chloe asked immediately.

"Chloe, it's okay." Callie said in an assuring tone.

"Emil?" Chloe asked again, disregarding Callie's words.

"Minimal things, like, a slight headache or dizziness. We're not going back too far in her memories so there's nothing to be concerned about with age regression or creation of false memories. I'll be careful. I've done this before."

"So it can alter my memories?" Callie asked cautiously.

"It can, but I _assure_ you that it won't." He pointed to the couch and said, "Now, if you could relax and get comfortable."

"You know, you said you didn't have a license to be my therapist but you have a license for this?"

"I've had my training, yes, and I have done hypnosis on patients."

"Well, as long as you don't make me ' _bawk_ ' like a chicken, I trust you."

"I promise there will be no suggestive thought of the kind. My purpose is for you to concentrate intensely on a specific thought, namely the day you traveled through time, while blocking out distractions." Emil tapped at the keyboard again and said, "Chloe, if you would please look away from the monitor that I have designated for this session and Callie I want you to continue looking at it."

Chloe looked away and tried to undo the knot that her stomach had formed. She stamped her lips together tightly as she stared at the opened doors. She could hear Emil's voice, talking in a gentle, soothing tone. She almost hoped for someone, anyone really, to come walking through, but instead she stared into the emptiness ahead.

" _Don't worry so much, Chloe. Everything will be okay_." She heard a voice whisper into her ear. It was a familiar voice that seemed to haunt her dreams. It belonged to a smile that blinded her eyes in them almost every night.

"Jimmy?" she cried softly.

"Chloe, you can turn back around now." Emil directed.

Chloe turned and pushed away the thoughts and feelings that had begun to stir within her. Her eyes fell on Callie, whose face was blank as she stared forward. Soon her heavy looking eyelids fell over her blue eyes.

"Callie, lie back on the couch."

She witnessed Callie obey the command; her eyes were shut as she lied back on the couch, breathing evenly.

"Emil, she will be okay, right?" Chloe asked him.

"Right now, she's in a trance-like state. She has heightened focus and concentration." Emil pulled the chair that was by Chloe's desk over to the couch. He sat down and pulled a small notebook and pen from the inside pocket of his jacket. "I'm just going to start with some general questions. What is your name?"

"Callie Kent." She answered.

"Where were you born?"

"Metropolis."

"When is your birthday?"

"June 26."

Chloe walked behind Emil and observed the session, unsure what information Callie was going to give them about her life in the future.

"Good, Callie. Now I want you to stay relaxed and really think. I want you to go back to June 26th, the day that you came to 2009. I need you to concentrate. Take me back to exactly what you were doing prior to the woman in black arriving."

She watched as a small sigh came out of Callie's mouth and a tiny grin came upon her lips.

"I woke up to the smell of pancakes…."

~/~

The images in Callie's mind began to jumble until everything started to fall into place like puzzle pieces. The image was clearer and she was upstairs in the farm house, exactly the way she remembered it from her time. There was a different variation of paint colors, furniture, and pictures. She then realized she was moving. She was walking down the stairs in her bunny slippers. It was as if she was trapped in her own body. She was reliving the memories with a front row view in 3-D.

Once she reached the bottom she walked through the living room and saw her grandmother in the kitchen with various ingredients out on the counter.

"Morning, sweetheart."

"Morning, Grams." She yawned.

"Go sit down at the table. I have special birthday pancakes for you." She smiled.

Callie clapped her hands and danced her way to the dining room table.

"I-get-birth-day-pan-cakes—" She sang.

"Someone woke up with energy." Her grandmother mused.

"It's the big 1-8, Grams. I'm officially an adult." She said with pride.

"Well, you're still my little granddaughter." She said placing down the plate of pancakes, in the shape of a bunny face with one round pancake to serve as the head, another to form two ears and a bowtie, then two blueberries for eyes, a cherry for a nose, a little cut up strip of bacon for the mouth. She then put a glass of orange juice next to it.

"Thank you. It looks perfect." Callie smiled.

Callie reached for the glass and took a sip of the juice. She noticed how silent the house was. It was only herself and her grandmother. The table was set for everyone, but using her superhearing the house was empty except for them. It was very odd.

"Speaking of becoming an adult, did my family abandon me already? How come it's so quiet? It's my birthday." She pouted.

Deep down she was actually starting to get worried. This wasn't like them, but her grandmother didn't seem to be showing any signs of worry so she didn't press on.

Just then a sudden gust of wind blew past her sending her hair up into the air. Any residual anxiety melted away. A smile was soon grazing her lips.

"Maybe they thought they had a few more minutes before the birthday girl woke up." Her father's voice rang from behind her.

Callie craned her back around and saw her parents smiling at her.

' _I miss you guys so much._ ' She thought, looking at their faces. She could feel waves of love come over her. There was so much love for her family. She was drowning in it and she welcomed it. It revived her. It was restoring strength and confidence. It truly was a glorious power to be surrounded by love, especially the type of love she got from her family. She was lucky. She wanted it back.

"Happy birthday, Callie." Her mother said as she kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Mommy."

She looked at her father and both of their mouths curved into mirroring half grins.

"I don't like this." He stated.

"Like what?"

"You growing up."

"Sorry, Dad," she said with a shrug, "unless you can stop time or go to the past you're just going to have to deal."

Inwardly, Callie forgot she had made that comment. How ironic, or was it coincidental, that was.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." He leaned in and kissed her cheek as well. "Happy birthday."

Callie smiled happily and took another bite out of her bunny pancake. Her smile fell a bit when she noticed someone was still missing.

"Where's the little squirt?" She asked.

She had noticed that morning that C.J. had been missing. Although they had their moments where they annoyed each other, she had a special bond with her little brother. It was weird that he hadn't been in the house she had woken up or, at least, with her parents when they had come back.

"Playing baseball. He'll be back later for our little party." Her mother answered.

"Ah, yes. _My party_." She sighed, putting down her fork and focusing on the positive. "I don't know where you hid that unicorn you got me for my 18th, but it's a good spot."

Her father shook his head. "Every year it's the same comment."

"And every year I don't get one! I figured you were saving it for this momentous day!"

Her father rolled his eyes as her mother smirked. They both retreated into the kitchen to get some breakfast. Her grandmother, who had disappeared for a few moments, reappeared at the table holding a box wrapped in blue paper and a red ribbon.

"This was left behind at the house for you." She said placing it on the table.

"Mom, we're not giving gifts until later." Her father called out as he closed the fridge.

"Oh, but, Dad, just one! Please!" She begged looking over at him.

She saw him relent in his facial expression and then say, "Just this one."

Callie hopped up from her seat and dove for the box in her grandmother's hands.

"Presents! Presents! Presents!" She sang as she threw wrapping paper on the floor.

She opened the box and pulled out the note card above the tissue paper.

"For the most annoying girl in the world. –Logan."

She shook her head and muttered how much of a jerk he was. While doing that she missed the inquiring looks her family gave her. Focused on the present, she tore through the tissue paper and pulled out a folded dark T-shirt with a silhouette of her favorite band. It was the shirt she had wanted but hadn't told anyone about. She smiled softly at it.

' _Sometimes he knows me so well…'_

"You like it?" Her grandmother asked.

"Yeah, I'll have to thank Logan when he comes back."

" _Callie, go forward. What was happening right before the woman in black struck?"_ She heard Emil's voice interrupt.

She was startled by him but the images began to fade and blur her sight as everything seemed to fast forward and pass by so quickly before her eyes. When everything stopped she was still in the dining room, only she had on her new shirt and the room was decorated with streamers and balloons, of course in the colors of red, yellow, and blue.

"I think we should just cut the cake without him." Callie said.

"Callie…" Her mother warned.

"He's been playing baseball for hours…on my birthday!" She exclaimed. "I want him here, but I think I want cake more."

She saw her parents exchange glances but she was too miffed to wonder what it was about. If her brother wasn't going to cut baseball short for her birthday, she was going to cut the cake without him as a point.

"How about you open another gift and I'll put the cake back into the fridge until C.J. comes back." Her grandmother handed her a card before retrieving the cake.

Callie ripped the envelope open. The cover of the card read, " _To my granddaughter—"_ with a picture of a country setting. It seemed very fitting.

Opening the card up the inside was digital as a poem faded into view.

_A granddaughter brings much happiness.  
She's a joy from the start.  
Watching as she grows,  
Reaches deep within your heart._

_She is caring and giving.  
A real joy to behold.  
Watching her as years pass,  
As her talents unfold._

_She leaves memories and contentment,  
Throughout her years,  
And these memories quite often  
Will bring happy tears._

_I love you._

_Love,_

_Grandma_

To the left there was a tiny flap that held two strips of paper. She pulled them out and read them. Her grandmother had given her concert tickets to a show in Metropolis.

"Grandma!" She shrieked. "You're the best!"

"Now you have another place to wear that shirt." She said as Callie grabbed her into a big hug when she returned.

Callie let her grandmother out of the embrace and sat back down as she played with the tickets in her hand. She then tucked them back into the card, afraid she would lose them.

"This is from Bruce." Her father said, handing her another card.

She brought the card to her forehead and closed her eyes. She snapped them open wide and called out, "A million dollars?! Thanks, Bruce!"

"I wish…" Her mother mumbled while her father rolled his eyes playfully.

Callie opened the envelope and pulled out the card. This card was a stark contrast to the country setting of the last one. This cover depicted a cartoon version of Batman and Superman standing on a tall building overlooking the city, the bat signal shining in the sky and her name blinking under it. Then across the bottom it read, " _You're the superhero today_."

When she opened it up the text said, "Have a great birthday!" with Superman and Batman soaring through the air. She had to chuckle at this, because it didn't seem like Bruce's style. Yet, sure enough there was some cash. _That_ was Bruce's style.

"Look at that, Bruce had a sense of humor for my birthday." She commented as she closed the card, the cash still inside.

"That must be the real gift." Her father quipped.

"Good one, Dad." She said placing the card on the table.

She watched as he moved around the table and toward her.

"I have a surprise for you." He then passed her and went for the side door in the kitchen.

" _My unicorn is here_!?" She exclaimed in excitement.

She got up to follow him outside but he stopped her immediately in her tracks. " _Ah-ah_. You stay here. I'll go get it."

She playfully pouted as she eagerly waited while he exited the house. She bounced up and down on her feet a few times before she turned back to the women in the room.

"So, what is it?" She asked her mom.

"You'll have to wait and see." She said coyly.

"It must be something so BA that you made this much effort to hide it from me."

"You have a nose for presents like I do. So, you bet we took extra caution with this."

"Best nose ever." She stated.

"You know it." Her mother smiled.

She drummed her fingers on the table. They waited a few more minutes in silence. Questioning glances started to go between each of them. Callie's attention then diverted out towards the window when a shiver went down her spine. A loud rumbling shook the house. It was all happening again. The same feelings were bubbling in her stomach from the awareness that he had been gone way too long. She looked to her mom and grandmother and quickly super-sped outside. That was where she had seen the mysterious woman in black for the first time. And again was the image of her standing over her father's red and blue pain ridden figure.

"Oh my god," she whispered under her breath.

She sped to his side and experienced once again, in motion, using all her strength to push the woman away. The woman went flying through the air and out of eye sight. She knelt down next to his injured form.

"Are you okay? Please…please be okay!" She cried.

Inside Callie was cringing as she saw him in this state again. She had had nightmares about the way he had looked in that moment. And, yet, she was living it again. She could only hope this would make her stronger somehow.

' _You have to. You have to do this.'_

The color started to come back to his face and his wounds started to heal as the sun hit his skin.

"You need to get back inside. I'll take care of this." His voice strained.

"Oh, come on. I just found you in pain in front of the barn, completely helpless, and you're telling me to get back inside? I can help you, why don't you ever let me?"

Callie recalled the words and the feelings. She still had them, they had even gotten her into some trouble when Zatanna had shown up not too long ago, and she wondered what the consequences to being sent back in time would have on the dilemma. Would it project her forward or set her back?

The feeling of her father taking her shoulders jolted her back to the memory. She was looking straight into his eyes. "If anything ever happened to you I wouldn't forgive myself. You don't have to have this life. You can be normal. This is my job."

As she was about to say something back, the woman returned at lightning speed. Callie still couldn't believe how fast she was. She desperately wanted to figure out who this woman was, why she had all these abilities.

"That wasn't very nice." The woman said.

"Yeah, well, I'm usually not so pleasant to people who attack my family." She snarled

The woman smirked and glowed green. It was blinding, yet again, and Callie could feel the headache just as she had the day it happened. She held her head in her hands but the pain was put aside as she saw the woman about to strike.

"I don't think so." She said with her teeth clenched in order to try and keep away the pain.

She remembered the fight. She had used all her strength and hit the mysterious woman first. It didn't do much damage. She wasn't as strong as usual due to the blast of green light. The woman instead had hit her and she went flying into the vast amount of corn growing in a field about a mile from the farm.

"What a biznatch."

All the feelings she had within started to overwhelm her. She felt the yearning to get back to the farm, to get back to him. She hadn't known what the woman could have been doing to him in the minutes she had been detained from being thrown into the crops. Then the feelings of wanting to help and being unable to because her father had halted those efforts crept back in as well. The need to prove to him that she could was what gave her strength to get back. It was devastating her reliving the feelings.

"Up, up and away," she had said under breath as she flew towards the farm. She swooped down and picked the woman up before she could strike a blow at her father. She remembered not really having a plan as she soared up high above the farm, just the urgency to get the woman away from her father.

"I think you and I need to have a little talk." She said holding her grip on the woman and flying over the barn.

"Is that so?" The woman replied with a smirk.

" _Callie, I need you to freeze this image in your mind."_ She heard Emil's voice cut in again.

The image was still and it seemed like she was the only one that was moving.

"What now?" She asked, surprised that she was in control.

" _I need you to find any way to see what time it is."_

"I'm not wearing a watch." She said distraught.

" _Look around."_

Callie looked around while she was still suspended in the air. She saw that the woman in black, still frozen, had a pocket watch hanging from her hip. Lifting it up she saw the word ' _Tempus_ ' inscribed on the front.

"Tempus?"

She had heard that word before, numerous times, especially from the woman in black herself.

" _What do you see, Callie?"_

"I see a pocket watch, I think. It looks old and has the word _Tempus_ on it."

" _Can you open it?"_

Callie pulled back a bit from her grip and opened the watch. The time was frozen at 2:09.

"2:09. The time is 2:09."

" _Perfect. That's very useful information."_

Callie closed the watch and looked again at the face of the woman in black. Was Tempus her name?

" _Callie, you can wake up now."_

The images then started again and she saw a flash of green light engulfed her before she opened her eyes to the real world.

~/~

Chloe heard Callie gasp as she awoke from the hypnosis. She sat up and blinked her eyes a few times as she was adjusting from coming out of the hypnosis. Chloe quickly went over to her and bent down beside the couch.

"Are you okay?"

Callie nodded and muttered, "Tempus."

Chloe tilted her head. "You said that before. That's Latin for time. Didn't you also hear it in a dream a while ago?"

Callie nodded and explained, "I think that's her name, the woman in black. I think her name is Tempus."

Emil nodded and went to the computer. "I'll get right on that."

"But what if she is just from the future? How will you find her?" Chloe questioned as she straightened her legs and stood up.

"A woman who can time travel? Hopefully she will have left us some bread crumbs."

Chloe nodded understanding what he meant but her focus then went to Callie.

"Are you okay?" She questioned again. Chloe hadn't gotten a response to it and she was fearful that the hypnosis had endangered Callie somehow. She would never forgive herself and she didn't even want to think about the possible reactions of Lois and Clark.

Callie nodded again. "I saw them. I was there again and they were there."

Chloe recalled the feelings she was having while Callie described what was going on. It was so vivid and the emotion in her voice had hit her to the soul. Hearing about the world she lived in was incredible. While, some things weren't in as much detail as others, like who Bruce was or what his card was about—other than it being funny—Chloe felt like she was a part of those moments.

"And you will be again." Chloe assured.

Callie went in for a hug and Chloe hugged her back. Callie seemed to be alright but was deeply affected by seeing those moments. Chloe couldn't blame her since she had been affected by them, as well. The emotions were finally settling in and Chloe was beginning to accept what she should have in the first place:

Callie didn't belong with them. Not yet.

~/~

Callie twirled in the chair while she, Chloe, and Emil waited for everyone to arrive. While Chloe had gone off to retrieve something in the corner, Emil had asked her the exact year she had come from. In confidence she told him 2032 and that had been the end of that. Now, she was twiddling her thumbs while they all looked at each other.

The doors to Watchtower opening made her stop mid-motion. Oliver and Kara walked through the threshold and eyed the three of them.

"I can tell already that this is going to be one hell of a meeting." Oliver spoke dryly.

They all stared at each other once more, an uncomfortable silence blanketing over them. Callie couldn't take it.

"I heard Clark singing _Glory of Love_ in the shower this morning." She blurted out quickly.

Suddenly the silence that had once filled the room was replaced with snorts and thunderous laughs. Oliver, especially, couldn't contain himself. He was bent over the railing of the spiral staircase, his head hanging over as he roared in laughter.

"That's what this morning was about?" Kara asked at the tail end of a giggle.

Callie sheepishly nodded. She felt bad that she had let that information slip out, but the silence had been killing her. Everyone then started to calm down and catch their breath after a few minutes.

"Thank you, Callie. I thoroughly enjoyed and needed a laugh like that." Emil commented.

"No problem, Emil. I'm here all week."

Callie then abruptly shut her eyes at that sentence.

"You alright?" Oliver asked.

"I'm fine."

The sound of the doors opening again made her get up from the chair. Clark and Lois walked in, hand in hand, with slightly goofy grins on their faces. Callie wanted to smile brightly at their intimate gestures, but she bit her lip to keep it in. Her glance then went to Oliver who was desperately trying to suppress a laugh as he looked at Clark. She noticed everyone was in their own way as they stared at the couple.

' _They're going to get the wrong idea.'_ She thought and somewhat let her head fall in guilt.

"What?" Lois asked, annoyed.

"Nothing." They all said at the same time.

Lois narrowed her eyes and Clark's eyebrows rose.

Callie quickly moved to the middle of the group and decided that she had to take charge of the situation before it got off course.

"I'm glad you all could make it. I have something important to share with all of you."

She looked at Emil then looked back to the four pairs of curious eyes on her.

' _Rip off the band-aid, Cal. Just rip it off.'_

"With the help of Dr. Hamilton, I have a way to get home."

Everyone was still. Their eyes gutted into her. There was a mixture of emotions in each of them and each pair that she looked into made her want to crawl under the desk. She swallowed back as she felt nervousness swim around in her stomach.

"Huh, _crickets_? I didn't expect that." She tried to joke as she leaned into Emil, "Remind me not to open up with that line the next time this happens to me."

Emil grinned and looked back to the crowd.

"How?" Clark was the first to croak out.

"This woman, when she time travels, opens a rip in time leaving residual energy. We can use that energy, and the rip before it closes, to send Callie home. I'm already working on a device. I've actually been quite enamored with time travel that I have modified what I was already working on." Emil explained. "The problem is it can happen at any time that the woman in black, or Tempus as we may have figured to be her name, shows up again. When she does it is imperative to get Callie to the area with the device on hand."

"So, it can happen at any time." Lois repeated.

"Yes." He confirmed. "I actually should head back to the lab in order to finish it up." He turned to Callie, "I'll need to speak with you again once it's done."

"Right." She said.

Emil nodded at the group and left Watchtower. Callie stood in front of everyone and was struck with the feeling one might get when having to speak in front of a huge crowd. She had never felt that way before. All eyes were on her and her mouth was dry. She started to shift her feet a little then glanced down at the floor then back up at them.

"How about them Sharks…" she said awkwardly as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

~/~

Lois couldn't take her eyes off of Callie. This was what she had feared she was going to hear at the meeting. She knew that it was inevitable that Callie had to go home, but to hear it confirmed made it more real. The worst part was to hear that it could be at any time. It wasn't fair to her, to any of them really. Would there be enough time to say goodbye?

"How about them Sharks…" Callie said awkwardly to them.

Her heart went out to the girl, her daughter. She was trying so hard to be strong and she saw so much of herself in Callie in that moment. Callie was nervous in front of them, whether it was from the information she was giving or the reaction she was going to receive, or both, Lois didn't know. What she did know was that Callie's unease in silence was something she got from her.

' _She can't stand awkward silence either, can she?'_ she thought.

"Hopefully they can pick themselves up this season. Feel like sharing some future tips about them?" Lois asked, giving a helping hand to end the quiet.

She watched as Callie seemed to relax a bit and gave her a grateful grin.

"Sorry, that's against future info sharing policy."

"Don't want a Back to the Future II scenario, huh?" She winked.

She saw Callie cringe a bit then looked back at her. "No. Definitely don't want that."

"So, I guess we have you as a limited time offer, now." Oliver chimed in.

"I guess you can put it that way." She took a breath and some pain was visible in her eyes. "I feel really bad springing this on all of you, the fact that it can happen suddenly, but," she shrugged, "it is what is."

"We understand." Kara said.

"I knew you'd have to go, but I just thought that we'd have more—" Lois began.

"Time." Callie finished. "I know. I also feel really bad that this is happening so close to your birthday."

"My birthday… _Right_."

Lois had almost forgotten about her birthday. With everything that had been happening her birthday hadn't even registered in her mind. It looked like beer pong with Oliver would have its challenges and perks.

' _You have Clark now, too. Whatever happens, you have each other.'_

As if he had heard her thoughts, she felt Clark's hand squeeze hers gently. She hadn't even realized that she had still been holding it the entire time. It felt so natural and right and that squeeze was exactly the reassurance she had needed. She loved how he knew her like that.

"We should do something, or, at least, try." Clark said.

"You don't have to." She countered. She wasn't so sure she was up to celebrating her birthday but she knew that would be thrown back in her face knowing Clark and Callie. She scowled a bit at the thought.

"No, he's right. I want to. I want to do this for you, so that's what we're going to do." Callie pleaded.

"Really, it's not necessary." She said again, but deep down she knew that if the both of them were teaming up she wouldn't be strong enough to say no.

' _Damn Clark. Damn Callie for being the two of us combined. It's like I'm battling two of him and one of myself_.'

"Hey, I didn't think it was necessary to celebrate my birthday, but I remember someone _stubborn_ forcing me to celebrate mine." Clark argued.

And there it was. She rolled her eyes at his stubborn comment, even though it was right because she was stubborn. Knowing that she was wearing thin she let out a defeated sigh.

"Fine." She huffed.

"Great, then we'll have a party." Chloe said adding herself to the conversation.

She looked at her cousin. She was a bit worried about her since she knew Chloe was trying to mask certain emotions. She knew her cousin well enough to know that something was bothering her and she had an inkling that it ran deeper than just Callie returning home. She would have to pull her aside later and get to the bottom of it.

"But how do we know when to have it?" Lois asked.

"What about tomorrow?" Kara asked. "Is that too soon?"

"No, I think it's perfect as long as everyone else is on board." Callie said.

Lois nodded along with the others. So, it was settled. They were having a party the following night, but Lois was going to make sure that the party wasn't going to be just about her. She, and everyone else, was going to give a proper goodbye to Callie. Her daughter deserved it and as her mother it was her job to see that it got done.

~/~

Clark kept silent as some plans about the party were being discussed. He could see Callie fidgeting and he slowly shifted from his spot to stand closer to her and lightly tapped her arm.

"Hey." She smiled as she turned to look at him.

"Are you okay?"

"Define okay."

He chuckled under his breath, "I know what you mean."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I just thought it would be easier to say it once to everyone than keep repeating it."

"Right." He nodded.

Clark could tell that Callie was trying to stay focused on the objective of getting herself home, but she was still feeling the residual effects of telling the group. He couldn't imagine how it must be for her, but if he knew anything about her and the look in her eyes it was that there was guilt swimming in them. She got that from him for sure. In fact, he saw a lot of himself in her when she was addressing the group and even as he was watching her choosing the right words to say to him.

"Because if I keep repeating it then it becomes more real and, while, this is something I want, I know that we—I mean we've had our—."

"I know." He said comfortingly. He extended his hand and placed it on her shoulder.

She nodded as she looked at the floor again. He knew they were both feeling the same way. He wanted to pull her into a hug but he didn't want to do it when everyone was around. He decided he would get his chance later.

"This conversation looks like a rager." Lois said as she walked over.

"How about we go out to lunch?" Clark suggested as his hand fell from Callie's shoulder.

"Lunch sounds good." Lois smiled.

Clark couldn't help but smile back at her as he felt Lois slip her hand back into his all on her own. He liked it, them being open about their relationship. It gave him more confidence and strength every time she was near and touched him. How he had lived so long without it he would never know. He certainly was going to make sure in the future that he would never be without it.

His eyes glanced over at Callie while she just watched them.

"What? No 'get a room'?" Lois teased at Callie's reaction.

"No, it's nice." She said in a low voice.

He saw that Lois was taken aback but her eyes shifted back to Clark. Silently they corresponded with their eyes and decided that her reaction was a good thing.

"So, where are you treating us ladies?"

"I don't know," he turned to Callie, "any suggestions?"

"Pizza?" She shrugged.

"Pizza sounds good to me. Smallville?"

He grinned while looking at Callie and Lois. He would try to push the sad thoughts trying to encroach on this moment. It was domestic and normal. It was pizza, but it was pizza with Lois and Callie. His heart fluttered at the thought. Another feeling he was enjoying. His heart had been fluttering all morning. He didn't want to even analyze the meaning and rather live in it. He would keep this with him, this feeling, and bask in it at the very moment he knew he would feel parts of himself shatter. The moment Callie would leave them.

The song ' _Pour Some Sugar On Me'_ began to play from Lois' bag. He knew he was done for then because he was even enjoying listening to the music. He certainly had been spending too much time with her. He felt her hand leave his as she pulled her phone out of her bag and groaned as she glanced at the name.

"Ugh, it's Randall. Let me see what this is about and then we can _bon appétit_."

She then turned to Chloe, Oliver, and Kara.

"I'm going to kiss my boyfriend now, so you can all gawk or look away. Your choice."

His heart fluttered again, more intensely this time, at her use of ' _boyfriend_ '. His eyes even widened a bit. This was all certainly becoming too good to be true.

Lois lifted herself up on her tippy toes in her high heels and brought her lips to his a quick savory kiss that he wished would never end. Then like a light switch she answered her phone, "What'cha got for me, Randall?"

Without realizing it his smile had become even wider as he watched her exit Watchtower, her ponytail swaying as she focused on her call.

"Well, I never thought I'd see the day."

Clark turned at Oliver's comment.

"See what?"

"PDA from you and Lois. By the way, for the record, I called this relationship between you two a long time ago."

"Good to know your perception is so good." Clark said in a dry tone.

"Actually, there is something else I perceive. That goofy look on your face and that glow you have going on. It's just like…it's just like…" Oliver snapped his fingers as if trying to recall the words he wanted to use.

Clark raised his eyebrow as Oliver then extended his arms out wide and slid across the floor towards him as he belted out into song.

"Just like a knight in shining armor from a long time ago! Just in time I will save the day!  
Take you to my castle far _awaaaaaaay!"_

Clark's mouth went dry as his eyes immediately fell on Callie. She refused to look at him as her brown hair shielded her face. He could tell by the movement of her head that she was laughing. And she wasn't the only one.

"I'm sorry, man. I had to." Oliver managed to gasp out between laughs.

"So is the Fortress a castle now, Kal-El?" Kara asked as she chuckled.

There were a few more muffled laughs from the group after her comment.

"Very funny, you guys."

The sound of high heels across the hard floor turned his attention back to the Watchtower doors. Lois looked a bit annoyed as she put her phone back in her bag.

"Well, that was a meaningless phone call." She looked at him and then to the rest of the group. "What did I miss?"

Kara, Chloe, Oliver, and Callie started to laugh again. Lois' eyes then fell on him.

"What?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Let's go."

He walked over to her and placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her out. He looked over his shoulder and glared at all of them, yet a hint of smile still formed on his lips as he held onto Lois and walked her out, Callie quietly trailing behind.

*/*

"Singing in the shower, Smallville?" Lois smirked before she bit into her pizza.

They were sitting at a table outside the pizzeria and he slightly got embarrassed as people were walking past them.

"Is that a crime, Miss ' _I take two hour long showers'_?"

She shook her head and finished chewing.

"Don't try to use my shower time against me, Buddy. All I'm saying is that it's not something I imagine you doing in the shower."

He worked his eyebrow up at her statement. "You think about me in the shower?"

Lois coughed as her cheeks started to turn a crimson color and she reached for her drink. Clark smiled at her as she looked at him through narrow eyes. He loved teasing her. He loved her expressions and responses. He loved—

"Child present." Callie called out as she raised her hand and reminded them of her presence. "And she's trying to eat."

Clark gave an apologetic look. It was always nice to get lost in the world where it was only he and Lois. He should have known Callie would have reacted that way even if she had been okay with them in Watchtower before. He couldn't blame her. While it had been nice at times to see the affection between his parents, it still became uncomfortable to think of them in certain ways and, judging from her rant that morning, there may be many more times to come in the future where he and Lois would get lost between themselves.

"How many slices is that now." Lois asked, calming down from her coughing fit.

"Five." Callie stated as she bit into the crust.

Clark shook his head. Callie's appetite never ceased to amaze him.

"What?" Callie asked him. "I get indecisive when I look at menus sometimes. I can't help it if they have so many different kinds of pizza to choose from. Their fault, not mine." She defended.

"I still don't know where you put it,' Lois commented.

"Hello, hi," she waved, "I'm Callie. The girl who can lift tractors and run faster than a speeding bullet. Super workouts burn a super amount of calories in no time."

" _Right_ —and don't be smart."

"Sorry. Habit." She finished the crust of her pizza then asked, "So, what do you want for your birthday?"

"Nothing." Lois stated adamantly.

"Oh, come on. You're getting a gift. I know how much you _love_ gifts." She emphasized. "Ripping it open to peek then rewrapping it."

Clark's eyes snapped to Callie then to Lois. It had been another unintentional slip of the tongue on Callie's part. They both looked at Callie but she didn't seem to realize what she had done, so they subtlety communicated with their eyes that they would let it go.

The Def Leppard ring tone could be heard coming from Lois' bag again. With a grunt she pulled it out quickly and glanced at the screen.

"My guy down at the station." She said to him. "Hello." She picked up.

His curiosity was slightly peaked. There had been a lot of activity in Metropolis in the past week and especially during that morning, which Chloe was logging. He wondered if something else was going on currently. He extended his superhearing to the city but heard nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that the local firefighters and officers couldn't handle themselves.

"Mmhmmm…Yeah…That's interesting…Thanks for the tip…bye…"

"Something up?" He asked.

"Just a tip that aerial footage from a camera on the bridge showed an object similar to a man being in the road before the car swerved, so some of the eyewitness accounts might not have been looney tunes. I'm going to go back to the office and see if I can dig up some more information from their statements."

"Do you need any help?"

"Nah, I'm okay. It's as easy as pie."

"Oh, can we get pie?" Callie piped in.

"You just ate almost an entire pizza pie." He countered.

"Your point? I like all kinds of pie. Pizza pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, but not so much _Life of Pi_ because I can't take it when animals die even though you find out they were just symbols in the story." She said then smiled.

"Looks like you're stuck with pie duty, Smallville." She laughed.

"Lucky me."

Lois stood up from her chair and he quickly got out of his so he was by her side.

"Aw." Lois leaned up and kissed him. She pulled back and smiled. "Better?"

"A little."

Clark then grabbed her arm and pulled her close. He dipped his head and captured her lips again. He could faintly hear her moan as he deepened the kiss, his lips sucking on her bottom lip. He heard the sound of a chair dragging across the sidewalk but he didn't focus on it.

"I'll just wait over there. In the dark alley. Where one cannot see or hear this... Except for me because I have powers that allow me to do so. I suck so much right now." He heard Callie say.

"Whoa." Lois breathed as she broke their kiss.

"Just something to remind you." He commented.

"Mmmhmm."

"And if you need any help when it comes to those images on the bridge maybe give Watchtower a call. Chloe keeps tabs and can gain access."

"Trying to edge into the byline?"

"Would you let me?"

"I'll think about it. See you later, Smallville." She winked at him and maneuvered her way out of his arms. "And I'll see you later, too." She said to Callie.

"Bye Lois. Go win a Pulitzer!"

"You know it."

They both watched as Lois crossed the street. Lois turned to look at them once more and smiled at Clark. He could feel his heart flutter again. He let out a tiny sigh and saw her retreat around the corner and out of view.

"You guys are adorkable." Callie commented.

"Adorkable?"

"Equally adorable and dorky. It's positive and let's just leave it at that. Okay?" She smiled, shrugged her shoulders, then turned around and began to walk.

"Okay." He said under his breath and walked to catch up with her. "So, I was wondering if you could help me out with something before I had to head back to work."

"Help with what?"

"Well, you brought up something at lunch, a gift for Lois. Since the time table to get her something has been moved up, I was hoping you could help me pick something out."

"Shopping?" Her eyes lit up.

He smiled at her joyful expression. He spotted the jewelry store and walked over to the display window.

"Do you have anything in mind or are we starting with a completely blank slate?" She asked standing next to him.

"Maybe. I don't know." He pointed to the necklace with a key dangling from it. "What about that. It looks pretty."

He could see her face contort in the reflection of the glass. "I hope you're not planning on doing the ' _key to my heart'_ crap." She remarked. "I mean, not that there is anything _wrong_ with that, it's just," she looked up at him, "unoriginal."

"So, I have to think outside the box?"

"Yeah, and I know you can. Come on." She grabbed his arm and dragged him into the next store.

"Ooh, maybe we can find some stuff in here." She commented as her fingertips glided across various items on the counter.

He looked around and couldn't quite see anything that jumped out at him and exclaimed "Lois". His eyes then drifted back to Callie who was examining a rack of glasses. He watched as Callie picked up black framed glasses and put them on her face. She tilted her head and smiled.

"Do I look different to you?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Different?"

She snorted. He was confused at what she found so amusing. She took the glasses off and put them back on the rack.

"They're the perfect disguise you know."

"The perfect disguise?"

He wasn't convinced of that. A pair of glasses? Who could be fooled by those?

She nodded and said, "Someone I know uses them that way." Her mind seemed to trail off and he knew she was thinking about the future.

"Those glasses?" He pointed and questioned.

' _How could those glasses disguise anyone?'_ He thought again.

"No, the glasses with the fake nose and mustache. Yes, those!" She laughed. "Forget I even said anything."

"Consider it dropped."

"I don't think there is anything in here. Let's try another place."

Together they exited the store and turned down the sidewalk. They walked by another store and he peered in trying to assess what they sold.

"This is so frustrating." He said.

"Because you're making it that way." She commented.

"How am I making it that way?"

"You're trying too hard. Lois doesn't have to be this hard to shop for."

"I don't know about that. Maybe in the past," he shrugged, "but, not really. I just want to…I want…"

"To find the perfect present, I know."

He looked down at her and saw the sympathy she had for his troubled state.

"Think of it this way, for Lois it's not about the big and extravagant. It isn't like that for you either, right?"

"No." he said.

"It's about from the heart. Sometimes the gifts that come from the heart are simple, but they have meaning behind it. Try and think of something that has meaning to her or to the both of you. You find that then you find your gift."

Clark smiled to himself as he let those words sink in. It almost sounded like something his parents would have told him. The words were true though. His hand traveled down to his pocket and when he placed inside his fingers curled around a small ring, the mood ring that Lois had gotten him for his 'birthday'. He still kept it, not because he was conflicted about feelings anymore, but because it had come from Lois and that's what made it special to him.

"That's some good advice."

They continued to stroll by the shops.

"Came from a good source."

"How about in here?" He said pointing to another store.

"Sure."

They walked in and he scanned the entire inventory. He looked down at the table and found an old, worn, leather bound journal. It reminded him of something he had and then an idea twisted together in his mind. A smile formed on his lips as he thought of the perfect gift—simple, but meaningful.

The sound of sirens caught his ear as he tilted his head. A crane had collided into a building. He could hear the comments from the people and from the radios signaling the police and firemen. A mysterious figure had been seen apparently but the worst part was that there seem to be workers trapped. This was a situation that was going to require some extra help from The Blur.

His eyes found Callie's. He knew she'd heard it, too.

"I'm sorry, but-"

"Go. If you need help…"

He nodded as he went off in search of a secluded place where he could speed off. Focused on saving lives but slightly worried on how many times simple things like shopping with his family, his daughter, would be interrupted.

~/~

Feeling a bit awkward in the shop, Callie decided to leave and just take a walk instead. She didn't have a destination and just decided to walk the streets of Metropolis. Taking in the sites and walking along the park, the scenery soon became a blur. It was just her and Metropolis. She walked naturally until she saw a man with a long tan trench coat, hair slicked back and dark framed glasses poking out from the side of his face. Her stomach quaked as the familiar feelings were triggered. It was the feeling of love. It was the feeling of home.

"Dad?" She whispered.

She followed him up and down the streets trying to catch a better glimpse of him but not wanting to be too obvious. Moving through the rush of people, trying to weave in and out of traffic coming and going, walking up and down streets and around corners, she had managed to keep him in the corner of her eye until her shoulder had collided with a metal pay phone, denting it. That distraction, as she made sure no one noticed her pop the dent out, caused her to finally lose him. It was like he had disappeared into thin air.

' _I'm losing my mind_.' She thought.

Looking around she knew exactly where she was, though. At this end of the street were brownstone houses. She walked up further to the commotion of people outside one in particular. Her breath got caught in her throat.

She had avoided this street for a reason through her entire stay in 2009. Never once had she even flown over this part. This was home. She may have lived in the luxury apartments that had not been built yet, but after her brother had been born and her dad had come back they moved to the farm for quiet and reflection, then once her dad's superhero sabbatical was over they moved to this brownstone. This was home, but not yet.

She saw the 'Open House' sign and decided to let the curiosity building within her win. She told herself to bite the bullet and just go in. She walked up the steps and the real estate agent smiled at her while standing as she opened the door. The woman then handed her a flyer.

"Hello and welcome. Are you here by yourself?"

"My parents are on their way. I just got here first." She lied.

" _Oooh_. Well, take one of _these_ and have yourself a little look around. My name is Delores."

"Thanks, Delores."

Callie took the flyer and walked in through the little foyer. Everything was bare and empty. Straight ahead were the stairs, while to her left was the large living room, with the fireplace that would roar on cold winter nights. In her mind she filled the room with the upholstery, furniture, and photos she was used to, but as her eyes blinked again it was empty once more.

She could hear her footsteps over the hardwood floors. Her hand trailed along the railing that bordered the stairs leading to the downstairs family room and glanced into the kitchen and dining room. She let out a breath as she squeezed her eyes shut.

' _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.'_

Turning around she started towards the front door when she heard footsteps running up the stairs. They sounded so familiar. She looked up and saw a boy in a red t-shirt and jeans, but he wasn't just any boy, he was her brother. He was standing at the top of the stairs, a smile on his face as he looked down at her.

"Callie, come on." He waved as ran down the hall and out of her sight.

Before she knew what she was doing, she was running up the steps and turned right as she followed him. Walking down the hallway, past the empty room to her left that she called her own, she saw a red blur run into the room that was her brother's, or would be.

Once she made it to the doorway she was met again with bareness. Why had she envisioned him? Maybe it was a side effect of the hypnosis. First her 'father' had led her here and now her little brother had brought her to this room. She walked in further and leaned against the wall to look out the window. It was then she realized why she was there.

In the street staring up at her was the figure of a man with a mild smirk on his face.

"Zod." She breathed out.

She only blinked once but when she focused her eyes he was already gone.

"Zod, honey?"

Callie was startled by the voice and turned to see the real estate agent, Delores.

"Um, _sod_. The yard in the back, is it sod? My dad likes to know these things." She casually lied.

"I'm not sure. I think it might be."

"Good to know, I'll pass that information along to him." She said as she moved past the woman and out of the room.

She moved down the stairs, stairs she had gone down thousands of times, and yet it seemed to be taking forever. She made it to the front double doors and walked down the front steps. The wind started to pick up and she stared at the spot she had seen Zod standing only moments before.

A gust of air blew through her hair, sending it flying backwards. Briefly, she swore that she could hear her name being whispered in the wind. It was then she knew. She could feel it in her gut. It was only a matter of time.


	31. Chapter Thirty: Don't You Forget About Me

**Chapter Thirty:** _**Don't You Forget About Me** _

Panic. It stretched into every crevice of her body. It flowed through her bloodstream reaching every point, starting in her head and working its way down to her toes. She was idle in the middle of the road staring at an empty space where he had just been standing. **He,** meaning Zod, a kryptonian that was so wicked, conniving, and seemingly hell-bent on getting to her father and to their family.

Her eyes became larger as a terrifying thought was conceived. Quickly, she barreled through the streets of Metropolis. The scenery that she had just passed by was a blur. When she reached her destination she hurried past the working people on the steps and stopped on the landing. She stared into the bullpen where her mother was on the phone, her face a mixture of determination and annoyance. She felt some relief creep up. Her mother was alright.

Callie's eyes scanned the rest of the Daily Planet basement. He wasn't at his desk, by the copier, or in the city editor's office. She knew that he had heard the crane accident, she had heard it too, but she figured he would have been finished being the hero and saved the day only to resume as reporter Clark Kent. The panic started to bubble again. What if Zod had planned it? He had given her a taunting look. She knew he was messing with her, but why? Why now? Why when at any moment she could leave? Did he know? What if the team needed her to help fight him? But hadn't they fought him already without her and succeeded? She shook her head and sighed again. It was all too much. Then thoughts about her father resumed. Where was he? Her heart was palpitating violently in her chest. No, she couldn't think that way. If he was in trouble she would know, right? Right?

She clutched at her necklace, the symbol of hope, her heritage, and her father. She secured it tightly in her fist and stood firm. Zod's face flashed again before her eyes. No one messed with her family. No one.

~/~

Clark walked down the sidewalk and opened the door to the basement of the Daily Planet. He adjusted his tie to make sure it was straight and hiding the blue shirt underneath his work shirt. The crane accident was definitely suspicious. So were the bridge and the other accidents across the city. He was hoping Lois might have some kind of vital information tying them all together. His mind was already forming theories, but he needed to be sure. He needed whatever evidence Lois had gathered.

Walking down the stairs he saw a young girl standing on the landing, staring into the bullpen. Once he focused on her he noticed that it was Callie. He had felt so terrible leaving her at the gift shop and seeing her now made him anxious to profess his remorse.

As he finished the last few steps, and got to the landing, he saw a mixture of fear and relief on her face. Now, he was worried.

"Callie?"

At the sound of her name she whipped her body around and then lunged at him. She hugged him tightly and from her body language he knew for sure something wasn't right. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her and comforted her.

"Callie? Callie, what's wrong?" He whispered.

"You're okay." She breathed into his chest.

"I'm okay." He confirmed.

She lifted her head up. "For a second I got worried. I know I shouldn't have," she shook her head, "but after seeing him."

"Him?" He questioned.

"Come on." She took his hand and led him down the stairs toward Lois.

"Callie?" Lois queried when she became aware of the both of them. "What's wrong?"

"Is there someplace private we can talk?" Callie asked.

"Sure. I think we can find an empty office somewhere."

As Lois got up from her chair Callie projected herself in the same manner she had at Clark. Lois gave Clark a puzzled look over Callie's shoulder and all he could do was shrug in response.

They held each other tightly for a few moments before Callie let go. She turned back to him then looked at Lois once more.

"Sorry. I just needed to do that."

"It's fine, but I'm concerned about what brought it on." Lois said.

"I'll explain everything."

Clark used his superhearing and listened for a secure spot for them to talk. There was an office around the corner that wasn't being used. With the tilt of his head he signaled for the girls to follow him. Once they all piled in he closed the door. Clark stood beside Lois as Callie glanced around the room before focusing on them.

"Callie, what's going on?" He asked again.

She took a breath and stared at their forms.

"After you left to go save people in the crane accident I decided to just take a stroll in the city. I think my mind was playing tricks with me a little, but aside from that, in my exploration I was sort of drawn to an area and that's where I saw him."

"Who?" Lois probed.

"Zod." Callie stated.

It was a name that ran chills down his spine. The apprehension he had seen in Callie made sense. They had faced him before and he had his own trivial sighting of him. Zod was playing games with them. His suspicions of the accidents around the city grabbed on to the lead that had already been forming. Zod was trying to draw him out by making him speed through the city in all directions trying to prevent or help disasters.

"Are you sure?" Lois asked.

"Positive. He looked right at me and had this smirk on his face. He must have been following me or something. He wanted me to know he was there."

"That's like at the festival. I saw him in the crowd one second then he had vanished in the next, but he wanted his presence known to me. He must be planning something." Clark thought out loud.

Clark looked beside him to Lois, whose face was a myriad of emotion.

"Lois, are you alright?"

"I—I don't know. I know you guys were already looking for him, but I'm worried. After having dreams about that face…"

"Lois, are you still having those?" He asked, concerned.

She had told him about the dreams in more detail a bit since his secret had come out, but she hadn't mentioned that she might be still having them.

"Not really, but that face is still in crystal clear HD in this brain. I guess your future friends really wanted to make the point that this guy was bad news."

"I'm sorry." Lois looked at him through watery eyes. He placed his hands on her shoulders and vowed, "I won't let him hurt you."

"Clark, I'm more worried about him hurting you. The both of you." She said turning to Callie who had been silently watching them.

"The guy has really bad timing." She uttered.

"Most bad guys do." He replied.

Callie rolled her eyes slightly and said, "Tell me about it."

"We need to get this information to Watchtower." He affirmed.

Callie nodded, "I'll get on that. I think it'll be best to just go about everything normally. He wants us to panic."

Clark grinned in his thanks then remembered what he had wanted to get from Lois before seeing Callie on the stairs.

"Lois, with the accidents that have been happening in the city, have you been able to find anything else out?"

"Actually, the guy I know on the force pulled images from a traffic cam on the bridge. They should be here by now."

"I think we need to take a look at those photos."

Following his lead, they left the office and headed back to the bullpen. Sure enough, there was a large envelope planted on Lois' desk.

"Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas to me." Lois said as she grabbed the envelope off her desk and hastily opened it.

Carefully she pulled out the photographs and sifted through them. She made a noise at each one until she stopped and her eyes enlarged.

"Take a look at this."

Clark and Callie both angled their bodies around to look at the picture. There, standing in the middle of the bridge was a man staring straight at the camera. He was smiling. It was just like Clark had suspected and now he had the proof.

"Zod." Clark breathed out.

~/~

"Chloe, Chloe, read all about it. Zod is back and I'm gonna shout it." Callie yelled as she walked quickly into Watchtower holding onto a photocopy of the photo Lois had received.

A startled Chloe launched from her chair and hurried over to Callie. "What?" She exclaimed.

"I saw him today when I was walking in Metropolis and those accidents around the city lately aren't really accidents. Zod is trying to send some kind of message to us and he isn't being very subtle about it. Lois got this from one of her buddies on the force." Callie said as she lifted up the picture for Chloe to see.

Chloe took the photo and brought it over to her seat. She placed the photo face down where it was scanned into the computer and appeared on all the screens of Watchtower.

"I bet this isn't the only camera he's said cheese into." Chloe hypothesized.

"We had the same thought. Think you can hack your way into the traffic cams by all the accident areas?"

"Already ahead of you." Chloe said as she typed away and the screens changed again. "I'm downloading the images now and they'll be cross referenced with the times the accidents happened. It may take a little bit, so go make yourself at home."

Callie smiled and walked over to the tiny refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. Easily unscrewing the cap, she brought the water to her lips and took liberal drinks as her eyes once again took in Watchtower. Her eyes landed on Chloe and she watched her work on the computer as she logged photos.

Sadness came over her as she thought about the future. This wasn't the Watchtower she knew very well nor was Chloe running it. Soon, her time here would be over and these moments would fleet away. Spying a pad and pen she quickly grabbed it and brought it to her. Picking up the pen she began to write,

_Chloe,_

_On September 14, 2012 you need to stay away from Kansas. I can't go into the details, but for your safety I need you to be as far away from Smallville and Metropolis as possible. Please._

_Callie_

She folded the paper a few times and then tucked it between two books that were stacked on the table next to her.

"And there he is." Chloe voiced.

Callie looked at the closest monitor and saw Zod at the crane site, again looking straight into the camera.

"Someone sure loves the camera." Callie said.

"You're not kidding. Whatever he's up to, he wanted us to catch him."

Callie grabbed at her necklace again and rubbed it through her shirt.

"Can I tell you something?"

Chloe's face softened. "Sure, you can tell me anything."

"Clark and I both heard the crane accident happen. He went off to be the hero and I decided to get in touch with Metropolis. I was walking and…I thought—I thought I saw him."

"Him? Who? Clark?"

"Not just Clark, _my_ Clark. My dad. So, I followed him and where I ended up was my house. Throw in another random appearance by a family member and that's when I spotted Zod. I don't know what it means."

"I think it means that we're closer to getting you home."

"Why now? Why does Zod have to come now?" She cried out.

"Hey," Chloe pushed up from her seat and embraced Callie.

"Everything is going to be okay. Trust me. We've faced Zod before."

"But what about Tempus? We have to think about her, too."

Chloe pulled away and looked at Callie.

"Now, you listen to me Callie Kent. We are going to get through this. We're going to get you home no matter what. We can't let them screw with our heads."

"You're right. That's what they want."

"Exactly. You can't let them consume the time we have left either. I've informed the team about both of them. If they're spotted, we'll know. Until then, let's try and focus on the good."

"Which would be?" She questioned.

"We still have that party." Chloe smiled.

"Right." Callie smiled. The smile began to fade, however, when something dawned on her. " Oh, no! I still have to find something for Lois."

"Maybe that's what you need. Go take your mind off of this and find Lois the perfect present. Watchtower has this covered." She winked.

"Can I just hang out here for a while before I go back out into the world?"

"Sure," Chloe smiled. "If you're hungry there are some leftovers in the fridge."

"When are you going to learn that I'm always hungry?"

Chloe laughed and Callie went back over to the corner of the room with the fridge. She spotted the note she had written sticking out between the two books. With a heavy heart she turned to Chloe, who was back on the computer, then back to the note. She snatched the paper quickly and fisted it tightly.

It had been a moment of weakness to put that there because she knew better. Though, in the face of danger and protecting her family she had done it in panic and haste. She hated the thought of someone from her family being hurt, but when she thought about going home and what that meant, she knew what she had to do.

Ripping the paper she threw it away. Turning back she marched over to where Chloe was sitting and pulled her into another hug.

"Thanks, Chloe."

She could tell that Chloe was surprised by the second embrace, but she held on. Chloe was right. She only had a minimal amount of time left and she was spending it with the people she cared about. This was another test and, though she wished things could be different, she had to do what was right. Even though it couldn't be the way she wanted it, she could hear her father and mother in her head whispering to her that there was something else she could do in this situation: she could remember and treasure it.

*/*

After hours of hanging out at Watchtower then at the city shops searching for the perfect gift, which she had found, Callie was still far from exhausted. She knew she should be, but her mind wouldn't let her get any rest. She had tried to keep her thoughts to other things, but it seemed to always fall back to Zod and Tempus, but mostly Zod in particular.

Sitting on the porch swing she looked out onto the peaceful farm. At least the scenery was keeping her at ease, however, she still felt like she was analyzing every breeze, every rustle in the trees, or creak of the shutters or swinging door. She was on high alert whether she wanted to be or not. She could feel the pressure the surveillance was putting on her. Although, as the General always said, "Pressure makes diamonds."

"Hey," Clark's voice cut through the darkness.

She watched as he walked up the porch steps and unzipped his red jacket. He had been out on patrol while Kara was situated at Watchtower. That was another reason for her lack of sleep.

"Can't sleep?" He asked as he sat down beside her.

"More like don't want to, which reminds me to tell you that we're out of coffee and tea."

"Used up every bit of caffeine in the house?" He grinned.

Callie nodded, "Something like that. So, how was patrolling?"

"Quiet." Clark said.

"The calm before the storm." She commented wistfully.

Clark sighed and leaned back, "Maybe, but I'll take it." She could tell his eyes were on her and he asked, "Are you nervous about Zod?"

"Nervous that he'll strike and you'll need me, but I'll have to leave." She confessed.

He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I don't want you worrying about that. You do what you have to do, no matter what is going on."

"But what if-?"

He cut her off. "No, what if. I can handle Zod and now I have a whole team backing me up."

He squeezed her shoulder and she grinned at him. "There's still the woman in black, too. Or, Tempus or whatever her name is."

"We'll handle that, too."

The sound of the creaking wooden steps alerted Callie and she tensed up, only to see that it was Lois. She was holding shopping bags in each hand.

"Hey, you two. Somehow I knew you'd both be up."

"You couldn't sleep either?" Callie asked.

"More like I knew you wouldn't be able to, which is why I came with donuts, three bags of Turkish coffee, and two of the worst movies known to man."

"My hero." Callie smiled.

Lois tilted her head toward the front door, "Come on."

Callie and Clark both got up and walked toward her. Callie was the first to walk in and peered around the corner of the wall to see her parents still in the doorway.

"Hi…" her father said in a low voice with a smile.

Her mother smiled and looked up at him, "Hi back."

She gave him a quick peck on the lips and then walked in front of him. Callie quickly jumped onto the couch so that her spying had not been discovered. The both of them crossed through the living room and unpacked the shopping bags. Lois put on a pot of the coffee while Clark got one of the movies started. Callie pulled the red blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped herself in it as she joyously watched them. Then they finally came and settled on the couch with her, one on each side of her.

"How did you know to come?" Callie asked, leaning into Lois.

"After spending so much time with Clark, you were bound to take all this information and put it on your shoulders like he does."

"Hey!" Clark exclaimed.

"Well, am I wrong?" she challenged.

Clark deflated and Callie chuckled at the exchange.

"I figured you needed a classic Lois Lane pick-me-up."

"You guys are the best." Callie breathed.

After about an hour of junk food, coffee, and the first really bad movie, Callie could feel sleep starting to claim her. Her head was on a pillow while her body was sprawled across both Lois and Clark. She was caught in the limbo of a deep slumber and being awake. Her eyes were closed and her mind was beginning to rest, but her ears were still as perky as ever.

"I think she fell asleep." She heard Lois whisper.

"That's good. I was afraid she wasn't—especially since you brought enough coffee to keep all of Smallville up for a week."

"I know the feeling of wanting to stay focused and alert. If that's what she wanted then I would happily bring the supplies."

"I do appreciate that," Clark said affectionately.

"I'm here for you too, Smallville. I don't want this weighing down on you either."

"I'd rather it weigh on me than her."

"I know that." Callie could hear the smile in her voice. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't."

She could feel them shift closer together beneath her.

"You know a lot about me, don't you?"

"You're not that hard to figure out."

Callie groaned inwardly. Really? Even though she was technically asleep she was still right there. Had they no courtesy? Who was she kidding? These were her parents. At any instant she would hear a familiar sound. Without fail a moment later she could hear a faint smacking of lips.

"Maybe we should refrain from this while Callie is right here." Lois whispered.

' _Thank you_ ,' Callie thought.

"You're right. We don't want to risk her waking up and hearing her say how we've caused her some kind of mental anguish."

She could hear them both chuckle at that.

' _It's not funny you two_.' She thought.

"She seems to be content right here," Clark continued as she felt him move some hair from her forehead. "And she's not the only one," he sighed.

"I know what you mean." Lois agreed. "We just take what we can get for now."

"I know." There was a pause before she heard him say, "I wish we had more time."

' _You will.'_

And that was the last thing Callie thought before she finally fell asleep.

~/~

Once the movie had finally finished, Clark had moved Callie to his bedroom where he and Lois tucked her in and Shelby guarded her. After that, sleep still seemed impossible. He and Lois put in the second film, though they didn't really watch it if he were honest. Watching movies with Lois wasn't the same since they started dating—it was even better in his opinion. Making out with his girlfriend while an insufferable movie played in the background was the best distraction. Of course, the occasional need to leave in order to stop an incident nearby happened, but he was never more than five minutes. Besides, he was always met with a very eager Lois ready to get back to where they left off. How she could make a situation that would annoy most people so hot amazed him. He knew he was lucky to be with her and he thanked whatever powers at work that they had been brought into each other's lives so long ago.

Sleep did eventually catch up to the both of them, though. While the couch was never a pleasant place to sleep, with Lois in his arms he would never mind it. When he awoke he found a curious Callie looking down at him with a smirk similar to the ones Lois would give him.

"Sleep well?" She asked.

"I slept fine," he replied. He carefully maneuvered out from under Lois and positioned her carefully on the couch. "How did you sleep?"

"Better than expected," she grinned.

"That's good."

"That's very good. It means I have energy to face a new day and a new chance to catch that scum."

"How about breakfast before catching scum?" He offered.

"Wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled.

The pancake mix had been brought out and the two of them set to work, while trying not to disturb Lois. They again tried to make bunny shaped pancakes since Callie insisted that it was the chosen breakfast of champions. The product of their efforts had been more successful than their last try. As they ate they both understood what that morning could mean; it could be the last time they ate breakfast with each other. Neither voiced it, but he knew the thoughts were mutual. It's what made his next actions so hard and yet required.

Clark suggested Callie go to Watchtower, which she was happy to do. Clark's intentions of sending her were double sided. He wanted Callie gone so he could get the house ready before they had the party that was still going to go on. Lois had divulged to him that the party should be about Callie and he agreed…to a point. He wanted to make it special for the both of them. He needed Callie away for the moment however, though it pained to send her away since time was so precious. He believed that they would make through the party though and his pains would be met with rewards.

Lois was still asleep on the couch as he put aside a tray of breakfast and coffee for her on the coffee table. He then went to do the chores of the day. After working through the fields, feeding the animals, and mucking the stalls, he came back in to do the labors of the house. Heading into the laundry room he saw a pile of clothes in a basket that Callie had worn and figured she had left them there to be done. He started to sort them and once everything was in the washer he spotted folded up papers in the corner of the basket. He recognized the handwriting to be Callie's. He unfolded the papers slightly and saw the words " _Things to remember_ ".

He was tempted, he couldn't deny that. On those papers, for some reason, were things from Callie's life. Clutching the papers he walked into the living room and threw them into the fireplace. Using his heat-vision he started to burn a tiny fire. He watched the white paper start to char at the edges and turn black, then to ash. He wouldn't be enticed to read them.

"A fire in August? Hell finally freeze over, Smallville?" A groggy Lois asked as she started to wake.

"No, just burning some papers."

"Illegal documents? Are you involved in a cover up?" She playfully inquired.

"No," he chuckled, "just don't want to go back on my word."

She stretched and stood up, smiling as she spotted the coffee and quickly brought it to her lips. He was of course mesmerized by the action since she always looked exhilarating as she drank her morning coffee. He snapped out of it as she replied, "Clark Kent going back on his word doesn't seem possible."

"Just ensuring to halt any temptation."

"That's good." She nodded as she put the mug down.

"No inquiries to what it actually is?" He questioned, wondering why she didn't seem attracted by the mysteriousness of his answer.

"No," she simply said.

"It's weird seeing this side of you. Usually you don't stop until you have all the details."

"Something tells me that if you don't want to be tempted to know then neither do I."

"You're incredible," he said without thinking.

"I know." She shrugged.

He rolled his eyes and watched her dig into her breakfast. She looked at him with curious eyes as she waved the misshapen pancake. "What are these supposed to be?"

"Bunnies."

"You tried that one again?"

"She told me it was the breakfast of champions. How could I deny her that?" He smiled.

She chuckled as she nodded. "Where is the champion? She up?"

"She's at Watchtower. I figured that'd be a good way to distract her so I can get some of the party things organized."

Lois' gasp sent his attention back to her. Her eyes were enlarged as she dropped her fork. "Oh, crap. I have so much to do then. I have to go to the store and get all the food together," she said as she quickly started to gather her shoes and bag.

"Lois, relax. If you give me a list I can run to the store and back in a few minutes."

"I will definitely take you up on that offer at a later date, but this has to be absolutely perfect, Smallville."

"This isn't going to be like the last event you planned where we all ended up with fairytale nicknames, is it?" he winced.

"See you later, Prince Charming." She smiled as she gave him a peck on the cheek and hurried out of the house.

As much as he didn't want to see her go it seemed to be perfect timing as he heard a distress call. Cleaning the house would have to wait until he cleaned up the streets enough to function. Racing to get the items of his uniform on he sped out of the house in a blur of red and blue.

~/~

When Lois had arrived back at the farm she had been met with a buzzing washer and a whining Shelby. Pulling the slack that Clark had left behind she finished the wash and tidied up the living room. That left her with a bag full of groceries and Martha Kent's open cookbook. She needed this to be perfect. She wouldn't accept anything less. Diving into the ingredients on the table she carefully read the recipe and mixed everything together. It seemed to be going well, at least for her it was going well. She fluidly moved in the kitchen trying to channel Mrs. Kent and her inner _Iron Chef_.

A few hours later, Lois was wiping the sweat off her brow as she scrambled to make all the items on her list. Lois had gone all out, even sporting an apron which was so not like her. Clark had been gone, which she had been semi-grateful for since his mother's kitchen was like a scene out of _Armageddon_. The buzzer of the oven went off and she quickly opened its door. Pulling out the cake she had put in she yelped as she burned her hand, throwing it on the counter where it began to sink.

"What? NO!" She cried.

Placing her hands on the counter she let out a long sigh. The rolls had burnt at the bottom, the potatoes seemed too lumpy no matter how much she mashed, now her cake sank, lord knew what would happen to the roast she was preparing with Mrs. K's special sauce. It wasn't going perfect. She could feel herself breaking within.

"Whoa, what happened in here?" she heard Clark's voice from the door.

She tried to wipe her eyes as she looked up at him; a complacent looked pasted on her face.

"Just getting the rush on dinner."

"Should I be scared? Warn the fire department?" He asked with a chuckle.

She shuddered at his words, a look that probably didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Lois?" He asked with concern.

"Clark, I'm trying to get this done." She said as she started to chop vegetables.

"Lois, are you crying."

"No," she snapped. "It's the onions."

"You're not chopping onions." He pointed out.

She grunted as she stopped what she was doing and moved to the microwave as the timer went off.

"Lois, what's going on?" He asked as he stopped her hand from getting the contents of the microwave.

"Nothing."

"Lois?" He asked in that deep low voice that made her insides melt.

That was when she broke. The wall that had withstood so much, working through all the cracks and repairs finally gave way.

"It's not perfect." She whispered.

"What isn't?"

"This!" She loudly pointed to all the items in the kitchen. "I tried, Clark. I put my all into it and everything has just come out wrong, which, hey it's me. Lois Lane is known to be a disaster in the kitchen. Why should I have thought that this time would have been different!" She exclaimed.

"Hey, it's not that bad." He reassured her.

"Says the guy who suggested the fire department be notified."

She saw him take the hit of her words and the guilt on his face. "I'm sorry. I was just teasing you like I always do."

"I know you were, Smallville. Usually it wouldn't bother me, but I just…I wanted this to be perfect for her. Your mom always made it look so easy. She would just whip up all these incredible things and be such an incredible mom."

"Is that what this is about? Lois, just because my mom could cook didn't make her so incredible. She was like that already, just like you are. Cooking doesn't make or break that. I know that you know this, that Callie doesn't expect you to be perfect…"

"I wanted to prove it to myself, Clark. I wanted to prove that I could do this." She cut in. "Clark, I don't know the first thing about family time or dinners at home, I don't," her voice cracked, "I just hoped that somehow I could pull this off, the whole making a home thing. That I could get a jump start and make what could be the last evening I spend with her memorable."

"Lois, family time and dinners will come along the way, but no one expects you to master it in one fell swoop. And tonight will be memorable because look at what you've accomplished. She's going to see all the time and effort you put into this and know just how much you care about her. That's what it's about, Lois, and you know that. She'll love everything that you've done, no matter what it comes out like."

She knew he was right and she let him pull her into a hug. She melted into his chest and let out a breath of relief for him being there.

"Besides, you have me. You always have me." He breathed as his lips rested at the top of her head.

"The potatoes are too lumpy." She muttered.

She felt his chest move as he chuckled. "I like lumpy potatoes."

She moved back from him and looked at the piece of meat on the table. "You want to help me with the roast?"

He nodded and said, "I think that'd be best."

She picked up the dish towel on the counter and swatted it at him.

"Hey!" He called out with a grin.

~/~

Chloe watched Callie attentively as her attention was attached to a screen studying the city maps. She had come in during the morning and left briefly to get Lois' gift that she had picked out the day before. She was amused when she told her what it was. When she had come back Chloe had been doing some work while Callie wandered around then dived into searching for Zod. She knew the girl had a lot on her mind and was trying to figure out what to say to her.

"So, are you excited to give Lois your present?"

Callie looked up from the screen with a serene look on her face.

' _Good. That got her attention._ '

Callie began to move away from the computer and slowly walk around Watchtower.

"I don't think anything can top the year we made the song for her." Callie reminisced as her hand trailed along the metal banister of the stairs.

"You made a song for her?" Chloe asked curiously.

"Oh, yeah. Dad sang as my brother and I were back up. A whole song about Lois Lane." Callie smiled.

"What I wouldn't give to see that." She chuckled.

Callie's smile faltered a bit but she kept it on her face. "Maybe you will."

"Looking forward to the serenading ways of the Kent clan."

Chloe glanced at the clock. She was under strict orders for Callie to be at the farm house by a certain time before all the other guests. "Hey. Why don't you go home and get ready for the soiree? I'll just finish up here and meet you over there."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely. It's an important night." Chloe urged.

She knew exactly how important it was. It was important to all of them, but she knew how much Lois had wanted to make this special for Callie. She could only imagine the state of the Kent farm while she was trying to make that happen.

"Okay. See you in a bit."

"Bye." She smiled.

With a ' _woosh_ ' Callie was gone and Chloe sat at her desk alone. She looked at the pictures situated on it. There was one of her with Jimmy, a picture of her with Lois, and the newest was a copy of the photo strip of Callie, Lois, and Clark. Family. Her fingers ran over each of the photos and she smiled. Tonight was going to be about family. She only wished that Lois and Clark knew the whole truth and just how much Callie truly was a part of theirs.

~/~

The farm had been quiet, but Callie knew that Lois and Clark had something else planned up their sleeves. She knew them too well. She didn't let on that she knew though, that would defeat the purpose.

After a nice long hot shower she couldn't seem to get a certain song out of her head. She smiled at the thought. One of the earlier presents to her mother when she had been young was a little concert all about her. Her dad had come up with the song. They spent about a week learning it in secret. Her mother had loved every minute of it.

"Dad sure does love to sing about her, doesn't he?" She said to herself.

Brushing her hair she started to hum the tune. She started to laugh and sniffed a few times at the memory. She stopped brushing her hair and smoothed down her clothes as she gazed into the mirror. She wondered when she got home if she would look different. Would she look like she had just attended time traveling boot camp or would she just look like Callie, as if nothing had happened? She felt different, that was for sure. She toyed with her hair and then took a breath. When she took one final glance the image in the mirror startled her. It wasn't just her in the bathroom. There was another figure in the mirror standing behind her.

"Mom?" She croaked out.

Her mother smiled and said, "Be careful, sweetheart."

She turned quickly to see if the glass was somehow playing tricks on her. There was no one there. It was only her. She rubbed her eyes and felt her forehead for a temperature. What the hell was happening to her? First, she thought she saw her father, then her brother, and now her mother? What did it all mean? Her mother told her to "be careful". Be careful of what?

It was jolting. There were so many issues at hand already. Which one was she being warned about? Or was she being warned about everything? A knock at the door brought her out of her small paranoia.

"Everything okay?" Kara's voice asked.

"Uh huh. Be out in a second." She called through the door.

She ran her hands through her hair and recomposed herself. This night was important and she would be ready. She didn't know what was to come, but she would be ready.

~/~

Oliver, Chloe, Emil, Kara, Lois, Clark and Callie were all piled into the living room of the Kent farm, amidst the celebration. Clark beamed as everyone shuffled around talking, drinking, and eating. He had decorated the house, per Lois' instruction, while Callie had gone upstairs to get ready. It was reminiscent of the party they had thrown him a month before, with blue and red streamers abound. There was also elegance to it that he attributed to Lois. The table was set neatly with the good plates and silverware. He was proud of what they accomplished, but prouder of what Lois had pulled off. She wanted to make the evening special and for all that she put into it he knew it would be just that. It would be a night to remember.

"I'm hoping that this party isn't just going to be us standing around all night." Lois commented.

"I think I know just the thing we need." Callie simpered. In the blink of an eye she disappeared and then reappeared, holding wires and some kind of electronic. "I saw this stored in the barn not too long ago and I think it's very fitting."

"That's my old karaoke machine." Lois pointed out.

"And what better way to celebrate Lois Lane's birthday than through tone deaf singing." Callie commented.

Clark was amused at the exchange. It wasn't too long ago that the two of them had been on stage performing. Callie was right when she said she thought it'd be fitting.

"Well, let's see what we have to work with." Oliver said picking up the CDs that went with the machine. "I see we have our best of the 80s collection."

"Well, this is Lois'," Chloe smirked as she was met with Lois' narrowed eyes.

"You bet your ass there's a best of the 80s CD in there."

"Yeah, try ten." Oliver said.

Lois simply shrugged.

Clark walked over to the contraption and started pulling at the wires. "I'll get this set up while the rest of you figure out the CD situation."

In the back of his mind Clark figured while he worked on hooking everything up, and the rest of them decided what they were going to perform, he could get out of having to participate.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing, Smallville."

He dropped the tangled mass of wires and looked back over his shoulder to Lois.

"What do you mean?" He asked innocently.

"You playing audio visual nerd. I know it's because you're trying to get out of singing."

Leave it to Lois to bust him so quickly.

"Lois…"

"Oh, come on, Clark. Just imagine you're in the shower and you should be fine," she joked.

He rolled his eyes. He was never going to live that down.

The group finally figured out what they wanted to do and the girls broke the ice by performing, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun". He was surprised when Emil got in on the action and chose "Jailhouse Rock". He did his best Elvis impersonation, which had everyone in stitches laughing. He had never seen everybody enjoying themselves so much in a long time. It felt really good.

After Emil's performance, Chloe, Oliver, and Kara sang "All for Love". Oliver swayed as he held onto both women at his sides.

During their concert he heard Callie mutter, "Connor is just like him."

"Huh?" he asked.

Callie looked as though she was thinking of a fond memory before she reacted to him.

"Nothing," she smiled, "My friends and I sang this song at a—uh—wedding anniversary party last year. It's just a good memory."

He nodded silently wondering just whose wedding anniversary that might have been.

Then it was Callie and Lois' turn to sing. Of course, it was Whitesnake and of course it was "Here I Go Again." He remembered back when the two of them had been singing it in the car, using the door, seat, windows, pretty much anything, as their instruments. That had been the morning where he had toyed with Lois' car so he could drive Lois and Callie to the Daily Planet. It had been an effort to still spend time with them since he hadn't been working at the Planet at that time. In the car they had been smiling and having fun. He remembered thinking that he couldn't have imagined any other place he'd have rather been in that moment. It was happening to him again. There was no place he'd rather be.

Lois and Chloe sang "1985", where Chloe promptly pointed at Lois at the Whitesnake reference in the song. Callie tackled "Beauty and the Beast," only Callie had changed the words to "Beauty and the **Blur** ", which embarrassed both he and Lois. He had still yet to sing and he could feel Lois' eyes on him.

"I think there's still one person in our merry group that hasn't taken to the stage." She commented.

Suddenly, he heard a chorus of, "Clark! Come on, Clark! Get up there, Clark!"

Grumbling under his breath he walked over to the CDs and took a deep breath as he analyzed every song. He couldn't see himself singing any of these, to be honest.

"Hey, Lois there's a song on here called 'You Talk Too Much'. I think that suits you." He said glancing up at her.

"Aw, how lovely of you to want to serenade me with that, Smallville, but I think the movie soundtrack songs are on the other CD. Pretty sure they have the one from _Karate Kid II_ on there." She busted back. "You're familiar with that one, am I right?"

He smiled at her and she smiled back brightly. Even though he would rarely admit it in the past, he loved their banter. It did something to him inside unlike anything else.

"Let's see what we can sing, huh?" Lois went through the CDs and bit her lip.

She tapped her chin, "Hmm, do we go 80s, classic songs, Pop/Rock, or movie soundtrack with you?"

"How about none?" He suggested.

"Nope. You're doing this. Consider it a present for me."

He shook his head as she shuffled once more through the CDs.

"'Sweet Child of Mine' would be way too awkward." She said as she took a CD out.

Clark sighed and moved through the catalog. "I'll find something."

His eyes scanned through all the songs and CDs, finally falling onto one he'd heard play many times in the past. Its lyrics made a little more sense now that he thought about it.

They both turn to the crowd of awaiting eyes. He knew he shouldn't be nervous since he was in a room with his friends and not strangers, but this was not in his comfort zone. The beginning of the song started and he listened to the beat. Lois smiled at him as she moved back and it was the perfect gesture.

"Sometimes I wonder how I'd ever make it through. Through this world without having you. I just wouldn't have a clue…" he began in a soft voice.

Lois stared at him as he continued. His eyes were locked on her. He didn't care what the others were thinking or doing. The lyrics were true. Sometimes the world did seem it was closing in on him, but then Lois was there. He could feel like giving up, but with Lois beside him, he was stronger to make it through the fight. When she looked at him and smiled he felt like he could do anything. He could be beaten down, in pain, but if he saw her face, saw her smile at him, he would have the strength to smile back and keep going. That's what she did to him, for him. It's all he'd ever need.

As the song ended he missed the knowing look Callie gave him. Lois marched right to him and he was taken aback when her lips were on his. He closed his eyes and gave into her kiss. The room erupted into cheers and whistles at their display of affection. When their kiss ended he knew his cheeks were red.

"I'm remembering this for Power Ballads night at the Ace of Clubs." Lois whispered with a smirk.

He grunted under his breath and she chuckled at him. He shook his head and pulled her closer to him.

"As long as you're there I can do anything."

"Okay, Lovebirds, off the stage. So, who's next?" Oliver called out.

Callie took a step forward. "I'll do one more."

~/~

She stared at the machine. This was going to be her final song, so it had to have meaning. She could do "Home Sweet Home" by Motley Crue or "Free Bird" seemed _really_ fitting with its lyrics, but she figured that might be too much of a downer. Instead she went with a 80s classic she discovered from a movie marathon when she had been introduced to John Hughes, again courtesy of her mother.

"Just so you know I almost chose 'Free Bird', so…you're welcome."

She heard a mild chuckle and proceeded to find the track on the CD. The lyrics started to scroll on the blue screen.

She cleared her throat and continued. She followed the words carefully even though she was familiar with the song. Soon the chorus came up and she readied herself for the double meaning the lyrics were about to take on.

Somehow, someway, she knew that this night would change everything. She could feel it in the air. Everything that she had been experiencing lately was telling her that her time to leave was coming soon.

" _Don't you... forget about me."_

She sang those words again with meaning. Her time there had meant something to her. The experiences she had had with all of them, she didn't want to forget or have them forget. She still didn't know how she was affecting the future, though. Those thoughts, even though she had come to terms with them in her own way, were still present no matter what.

' _Will you remember?_ ' she thought.

Everyone's singing of the last part filled the living room until the song finally ended. She took a bow as they clapped. She got control of her diverging thoughts and watched all their faces. She didn't want to get overly emotional. She wanted this to be a happy party. She knew just what would make the mood cheerful.

"I think it's time to open presents." She stated, brightly.

~/~

Lois placed another card onto the pile. Her friends had been generous with her with gifts, even though she had told them not to. She had been intrigued when Clark told her that she would get his present later. Her mind was steadily trying to figure out what Clark would have in store for her.

"Open mine." Callie said giddily as she handed Lois a poorly wrapped box.

Lois chuckled as she watched Callie squirm in her seat in anticipation. She was also laughing at the fact that not being able to wrap a present properly was a trait she had inherited from Clark. She bit her lip as she ripped the paper and it was revealed that underneath was a box containing a donut maker.

"I just figured that maybe you might want to take the chance in trying to make your own maple donuts." Callie said.

"You do remember my baking skills, right?"

Callie shrugged. "I think that if you put your mind to it and _really_ want those donuts that they'll come out okay."

Lois' mouth shifted to the side as she thought about that. If there was anything that she would be determined to get right it would probably be making donuts.

"I love it."

She saw relief flash on Callie's face. The kid had nothing to worry about. She could have given her a box of rocks and she would have thought it was perfect. It was like what Clark had told her earlier.

' _I hate it when he's right._ '

"While I love all these gifts and thank all of you for them, tonight is not really about me. It's about Callie."

Callie's eyes enlarged as they scanned the room then fell on her. "What do you mean? We're celebrating your birthday."

"I didn't need a party." She replied. "But I knew that we all needed something; with everything that has been happening, we all needed a little break. And we did it for Clark," she said glancing at him, "so, when you suggested it for me I said okay, but this isn't just for me, Callie. It can't be."

Lois looked to each face in the room and continued, "We don't know what's going to happen next. The only concrete thing we have known is that your time with us has been temporary. We just wanted to have a chance to say goodbye."

Callie swatted at her eyes as tears were welling up in them. Lois could feel it happening to her, too.

"You didn't have to do this for me."

"I know, but I didn't want it to just be about me. Besides, I already got the greatest gift." She said with a wink.

"What was that?"

"Meeting you." She stated. Her eyes then darted to Clark who nodded in agreement. She knew he felt the same way, too.

Callie scoffed and rolled her eyes at that. "You can't be serious."

"I am." She said firmly. "You have definitely livened things up around here and I've treasured the bond that we formed. It's truly special to me."

"And here I thought the donut maker was a great gift." She smiled.

"It definitely is a _really_ close second."

Callie laughed.

"How about a speech, Callie?" Oliver suggested.

"Oh, I don't know." Callie stumbled.

"Speech!" they all called out. "Speech!"

~/~

Callie rolled her eyes at their boast for her to make an unplanned address to them. What was she going to say? What could she say? They were all amazing. They had turned her plan to throw a party for her mother's birthday early around and made it a party about her leaving. She knew she was going to have to say goodbye sooner or later and she knew deep down that her borrowed time in the past was going to be cashed in soon. This was her moment to do this. This was her moment to talk to every single individual she cared about and thank them for everything they had done for her. She just needed to figure out where to start.

"Alright, alright." She said as she took a deep breath. "I'm usually pretty good with words, but my mind seems to be going a mile a minute right now, but I think I've got my bearings straight," she smiled.

"When I first got here I had a bit of an attitude problem as you guys can probably attest to." She chuckled and could hear them chuckle along with her. "I think I still have one, but that was just my defense mechanism at work. Coming to a place that was so foreign, so out of my realm, that just seemed so wrong in my eyes, and the people that I knew, that I grew up with, that I loved, were somehow not here, it just, it brought out different things in me. I like to think that as time went by I mellowed out, as mellow as I can be." She muttered the end which brought some more giggles.

"And the reason why that happened is because you guys made this place, this place that's not mine, into a world that was comfortable, an environment where I could smile, laugh, and just for a second pretend that my world was not turned upside down," she paused, "You guys didn't know me. You didn't have to do anything, but you did. You did that and each and every one of us has a bond because of it and I am so grateful for that," she started to cry a little but held herself back.

"I am so grateful that these past two months didn't revolve around me huddled in some dank corner pulling my hair out trying to find a way home. Instead I found myself having support, having time to relax, and I could talk when things were getting too intense for me, I could have shoulders to lean on, to cry on" she choked, "and I just want to thank you. I want to thank all of you so much. What you've done for me—that's what makes each and every one of you so special. That you could take a _girl_ who fell from the _sky_ , find her, and give her a _home_. Because that's what you did, you gave me a home when I didn't have one and you've spent time trying to help me find my way back to mine."

"We didn't find you. You found _**us**_." Clark stated as Lois leaned into him.

She smiled and let a few tears that were fighting to get out fall upon her cheeks.

"You guys are more than I could have ever wished for. So, thank you." She cried and then sniffed. "But you did find me, or at least, you helped me find myself. I couldn't have made it this far without you. And I will _never_ forget," she emphasized.

"To never forgetting." Oliver stated as he raised his glass.

"To never forgetting." Everyone toasted.

"To never forgetting," she whispered.

The timer on the oven buzzed and Lois called out, "Kara, can you get that for me?"

"Sure, Lois."

"Emil, you mind taking a picture of us?" Oliver asked, handing him the camera.

"Not at all. I've actually dabbled quite a bit in photography and videography."

"Okay." Oliver replied.

Chloe, Oliver, Callie, Clark, and Lois all huddled together and maneuvered to find just the position.

"On three. One, two, three…"

Everyone smiled as the camera flashed.

"Kara, come over here." Oliver said.

They took some more pictures, the camera going into different hands as individual photos were taken with each other. Oliver demanded that he get copies of the photos so a session of uploading and printing out commenced. A copy of the picture of Chloe, Oliver, her parents, and her had been set aside on the table. Callie quickly pocketed the photo. She then eyed the photo strip still hanging on the fridge and pulled it down. Making her way to the printer in the den, she opened up the copier portion of it and made a copy. She wanted to keep the pictures with her. She wanted to keep her family with her when Tempus made her move.

Finally, she scurried back before anyone noticed. Everyone then started some small-talk and Callie noticed Emil give her a glance. They needed to talk. Slipping out from a conversation with Oliver and Kara she walked over to Emil and pulled him into the hallway by the front stairs.

"I need to talk to you about something." She could tell that she had his attention so she went through the events of the day before when she saw the figure she had mistaken for her father.

"It could be a side effect of the hypnosis. The mind is complex, especially yours. In your subconscious you may have felt you were being followed, for example, so you mind constructed images to bring you somewhere you felt safe." Emil explained.

"My house. Then, C.J. led me to the window."

"To reveal to you the person in question."

"But I didn't feel like I was being followed."

"Maybe not in the forefront of your mind, but subconsciously you may have felt it and your mind was warning you."

"Well, it also warned me about three hours ago. I saw my mother in the bathroom. She told me to _be careful_. Then she disappeared."

"I would heed that warning," he went in his pocket and handed her a watch, "especially, with this."

"A watch?"

"A chronosphere." He corrected.

She held it up and gazed at it. "My ticket home."

"It's programmed for the exact moment you left. It could be altered, but I warn against that."

She was in the midst of strapping the device when she stopped to process his words. "If I leave here and end up at the exact moment I left there, doesn't that mean…"

"This timeline will cease to exist."

She sighed. She knew this could happen. Ever since he had wanted to know the exact moment that she had left her time she had hypothesized that this could be the result. She was torn, feelings of relief and anguish riddled her body.

"They won't remember me."

"It will counteract the damage already done. Much of Tempus' movement has been coming here. Erasing that will undo the rips she already caused. It's really the only way to ensure minimal damage, but like I said, it _can_ be altered. That's up to you."

"Right."

"There could be side effects using the device, in whatever manner, as well."

"Like what?"

"Time travel is delicate. There could be lapses."

"Lapses?" She questioned.

"It's called a time fold or a time meld. Moving through rips could create a disturbance where seconds, minutes, or hours fold into one another. Time would move without anyone noticing the missing portions. For example, it could go from 1pm to 4pm and no one would notice."

"Well, that doesn't sound that bad."

"It could be worse, though. Days, months, and years could fold."

"Okay, well, that sounds worse." She grimaced.

"Nothing is concrete when it comes to this. There's a lot of risk."

She nodded. "Understood, but I have _faith_ , doctor."

"I have faith, as well." He grinned.

"Thank you for everything."

"It has been my pleasure." He said as he tenderly squeezed her shoulder.

~/~

Chloe observed Callie and Emil as they walked into the living room from around the corner. She walked over to the conversation as curiosity got the best of her.

"Everything okay?"

"Everything is fine." Callie reassured.

"I have given Callie my finished device. I think it would be imperative if we cut the festivities short and keep an eye out for any disturbances."

Chloe knew he was right, but she had wanted to stay longer. However, she knew that giving up the dinner portion of the evening wouldn't be the worst thing. Callie would get to be alone with Lois and Clark, her parents, in an intimate setting. They had their time. Now she needed to keep an eye out so the remaining time was spent well. Who knew, maybe they would have tomorrow, but inside something was telling her differently. Something was telling her that tonight was the night.

"Okay, just give me a second."

He nodded and went to go wait outside.

Chloe's eyes started to water as she looked at Callie.

"I want you to know that the future is very lucky to have a girl like you there."

Callie smiled at her. Chloe could tell that Callie was trying to keep her emotions at bay as was she.

"Before you came here, I was a mess. The world seemed to have let me down because the people I needed most were gone. When I tried one last effort to reach out to Clark, I met you; this mysterious girl who had a sharp tongue and wasn't taking crap from the new Clark Kent. Then, I caught you in Watchtower. You surprised me further by being hell bent on finding my cousin. Soon everything clicked. It only seemed right that you would be the one to help lead Clark out of the abyss. He's changed a lot because of you being here."

"It's not all about me. That's who he is. I may have nudged a bit, but that guy over there? In the beginning I couldn't see him being my dad, but now? He's only steps away."

"It was one hell of a nudge."

"Thank my mom for that." She smiled.

"I'll be sure to do that."

"Hey, Chloe, are you heading back to Metropolis?" She nodded as Oliver stepped beside her.

"Good. I have my gear in my car, so I'll take over for Bart and patrol once I get back."

"Okay."

Oliver leaned in and gave Callie a big hug.

"I know I already said this, but thanks for giving me that kick."

"Anytime." Callie said.

Oliver exited and it was the two of them once again.

"If I don't see you tomorrow," her voice cracked, "It was great to meet you, Callie Kent."

Callie sniffed and brought Chloe into a hug, "It was great to meet you too, Chloe Sullivan."

Chloe's heart tugged as the words meant more to her trained ear. She closed her eyes and understood something that had been swimming in her gut. She pushed it away, not caring. Time was tricky and so was the knowledge of it. So, Chloe would play ignorant and forget what she suspected. The only knowledge that she would hold dear would be that Chloe Sullivan and Callie Kent had met and it had been an amazing and honoring experience.

~/~

Lois witnessed Callie say goodbye to Emil, Oliver, and Chloe from afar. Once they had all left she stood idly by the table as Kara, Callie, and Clark came over. Everything was set and she held her breath and awaited the reaction she would get from them.

"Wow, this all looks great." Kara gushed as she took a seat.

"It really does," Callie smiled at Lois and sat across from Kara.

Lois felt a sense of accomplishment. "Thanks. I just wanted this to be a special family meal for all of us."

"And you made all this?" Callie said with a wink.

"Very funny." Lois said as she narrowed her eyes and sat at the end of the table.

"I can confirm that Lois did make all of this." Clark stated as he took the seat at the opposite end of Lois.

"Thank you, Clark."

"Even though I did have to prevent some fires from engulfing the house." He added.

Lois took a roll from the basket and threw it at Clark's head which he easily caught.

' _Stupid superpowers_.' She grumbled in her mind.

"Now, now you two." Callie chastised them. "I think we can get through this meal without unidentified flying objects soaring over the table."

Kara pointed to Callie, "What she said. I want to enjoy this. Trust me, after spending time in the Phantom Zone like I did, you don't take for granted a family meal like this."

"Tell me about it. Would it kill someone there to put in a Kryptonian Fried Chicken or a PZ Changs? Don't phantoms need to eat, too?" Callie asked.

"Pretty sure they do that by getting to the new prisoners." Clark hinted.

"Oh."

"And you've been waiting a while to say those things haven't you?" He smirked in Callie's direction.

"Yes! I've beaten myself up for not thinking of it at the time."

Lois shook her head. This was one of the moments where it was true to form that Callie was indeed her daughter. She'd done the same thing countless times. Then Lois rolled her eyes and sighed at the topic of discussion: The Phantom Zone. That place had not been a pleasant memory and certainly one that she didn't want to rehash and discuss at the table.

"Can we please stop talking about that place? Especially since I've found out it wasn't just a low blood sugar induced acid trip like I originally thought?"

Her eyes bore into Clark and his facial expression took one of surrender mixed with humor.

"I'm sorry, Lois. It was the only thing I could come up with at the time. I was trying to protect you."

"I know," she said. She did know that and she understood why he had said it at the time, but she decided that she wanted to play with him a bit. He had resumed teasing her and she wanted to get him back.

She took a large helping of potatoes and slammed it on her plate. A mischievous look formed on her face as she dipped the spoon back into the potatoes then held it up, aiming it at Clark. He was oblivious to her actions, so she decided to let her left finger that was holding the tip of the spoon back go. The result was a large glob of potatoes on Clark's left shoulder. He looked up at her in surprise and she just shrugged.

"You said you liked lumpy potatoes."

"I meant on my plate, not on me." He said with a forged smile and laugh.

"You should have been more specific."

"Kara, pass the rolls?" Callie asked, cutting through the starting tension.

"Sure." Kara replied as her eyes shifted between Lois and Clark and then passed the rolls.

Callie's eyes shifted as well as she bit into the bread. "Mmm, these are so good."

"You think so?"

"Fluffy in the middle and burnt on the bottom? My favorites."

Lois smiled brightly. Clark asked Callie to pass the basket and she went back to filling her plate when she felt something fly into her hair. When her fingers touched the item it was mushy and slippery. She looked down at the substance and saw that butter had gotten into her hair. Her eyes traveled across the table and met Clark's.

"Did you just fling butter at my hair?" Lois asked in disbelief.

Clark sighed and nodded casually, "I'm afraid I did, Lois."

"Kara, would you like some salad?" Callie asked in a normal tone.

"Um, sure." She said as she grabbed the bowl.

Lois was still staring at Clark and his eyes didn't leave hers either. This little game they were playing was beginning to escalate. She didn't think Clark would retaliate in front of everyone. She liked this side of him. Yet, retaliation came with a price.

' _This is war. And you know what the General always says about war…_ '

"Are the two of you okay?" Kara asked.

She answered in a normal tone. "I'm fine. Clark?"

Clark grinned. "I'm great."

"You two are acting weird." She continued.

Callie then threw a carrot at Kara.

"Hey!"

"They started it." She said pointing to Lois and then Clark.

Kara picked up a spoonful of peas and launched it at Callie, who ducked down. Lois' mischievous grin returned. She grabbed a handful of cut up roast and threw it at Clark, her tongued peek out between her teeth as his mouth formed an 'O' in surprise.

"Oh, that's it, Lane."

"What are you going to do about it, Kent?"

Her eyes went to Callie who nodded, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

"FOOD FIGHT!" Callie's voice erupted.

Suddenly food was being tossed in all directions. It wasn't about Lois versus Clark or Callie versus Kara. It was everybody out for themselves. Anything and everything was grabbed. Callie squealed as Clark got her with the mashed potatoes. She got him back by squeezing the bottle of ketchup at him. Lois threw lettuce at Kara. Kara emptied her water glass down Clark's back. Clark dumped the bowl of stuffing over Callie's head. Callie dove for the gravy boat and its contents were splashed on Lois' blouse. Lois launched more rolls in Clark's direction and she ended up with more butter hurled in her direction courtesy of him. The dining room was overflowing with the sound of clanging dishes, hurried footsteps, and laughter. There was food everywhere and she knew that the real winner out of this fight would be Shelby.

Clark had somehow grabbed the cake and she heard Callie yell at Kara, "Run for cover!"

It was too late for her as she felt a balled up mass of cake hit her shoulder. Lois ran for the kitchen and grabbed the whipped cream and sprayed it in Clark's face. He grabbed her arm and turned her hand so she was spraying herself.

"Ah! Smallville! You're so getting it for that!" She exclaimed.

Her hand reached for the cake, grabbed a handful, and smeared it on his chest along with everything else that had been chucked on there.

"You're a mess!" She laughed.

"Take a look at yourself, Lois."

She looked down and saw that her white button down blouse wasn't so white anymore. Clark hand brushed some potato and cake off her shoulder and they both started to laugh. She peered over his shoulder and realized they were the only two left downstairs.

"I think Callie and Kara headed for the hills."

Clark turned around and seemed to see for himself that she was right.

"Can't say I blame them." He said as his hand traveled to her hair and pulled out some of the butter.

"Was it too much?" She asked.

He shined that charming Kent smile and replied, "It was perfect."

"You think?"

"I know." He said tapping to his ear. "Too bad no one got to eat."

Lois bit the inside of her cheek to not smile as she grabbed another handful of cake. "You're right. Someone should definitely get to eat something."

Then Lois pushed the cake into his face. He licked his lips, which she found very sexy, and waited to see what he was going to do next.

"That's not bad. You actually made a pretty good cake, Lo."

"Yeah?"

He nodded. "I shouldn't be the only one who gets a taste. Here have some," then put some cake in her face.

She burst out laughing and tried to get more cake to throw at him but he caught her hand. He pulled her close to him and dipped his head as his lips found hers. She could taste the cake on his lips along with the regular taste of him. She stifled her moan, but clearly heard his. She took pleasure in that.

Pulling away she looked up at him and tried to brush off some of the food on his shoulder. One of his fingers trailed up to her face and slid across her cheek as it collected remnants of cake and frosting.

"This was quite the meal, Lois. It was definitely something to take notes about for a later date." He said with a wink as he put the finger to his mouth. Her mouth fell open when he did that.

Lois let out a gasp, "Why, Clark Kent, that is some mind you have there." She bit her lip, "I like it. I hope you're a good note taker."

He just gave her a big smile then held her close in a hug. "Oh, I take copious notes."

~/~

Callie crouched down on the stairs out of view. She and Kara had run to get out of the line of fire and retreated to the second floor. Kara was currently cleaning herself up while she detoured and hid at the top of the stairs, a witness to the last two individuals left in Food Fight 09'. The cake had been the last item of food to be used in the war and then they both stopped. They were smiling, laughing, and talking. For an outsider what had happened at dinner would have been odd, but for her it was the norm. She had been involved in her fair share of food fights. She could sense one had been coming a mile away at the table before it had started. It felt good knowing that her parents drove each other crazy like that and would never stop.

She watched them in one of their signature swaying hugs from her view in between the wooden posts. She wondered if they knew they did that. Whether they knew or not, they were the picture of perfection in her eyes. Even though she could whine about their public displays of affection until the cows came home, she'd rather sit and watch them than not have them professing their love in little actions at all. If this trip to the past had taught her anything she had certainly learned most of all to not take her parents' love for each other for granted.

Deducing that she had seen enough, she quietly walked into Clark's room to change. She snorted when she saw the mosaic of food on her clothes. She was surprised to see new clothes already folded on the bed. She soon realized that the clothes were actually hers, the ones that she had been wearing on the day she had arrived. She ran her fingers over them. They were hers, actual items that belonged to her and only her. They were her proof that she had come from the future and fallen from the sky.

Feeling a connection to them, especially after reliving the day only twenty-four hours prior, she shed her current clothing and put the concert T-shirt, jeans, and boots on. She made sure she transferred the photos she had grabbed from downstairs and placed them in her front pocket. She felt like she was in her own skin again, if that made any sense.

It had been an emotional day. She still couldn't get certain thoughts out of her mind. Every moment, every step she took, she could feel the sand in the hourglass lessening on her time in 2009. She looked at the watch on her wrist and what it signified. It was her skeleton key to the future. She would need to be ready to use it whenever the call would come that Tempus had caused a rip. She would need to be ready to do what had to be done. She would need to be ready to say goodbye to 2009, knowing that no trace of her time there would ever exist once she pressed the button.

~/~

After Emil had left her to work his shift at Met Gen, Chloe had never felt so alone at Watchtower. The party had been fun, entertaining, and had certainly taken their minds off the heavy things surrounding them. It had been a needed retreat since all work and no play would make everyone more on edge. Now that she was back in her chair at Watchtower the world had come rushing back. She was there while Oliver was out on patrol. They were watching the streets vigilantly hoping that this could be a night of peace. If the universe was kind, Callie would get to spend the evening with her parents and focus on everything else in the morning. Chloe had a nagging feeling the universe wouldn't comply.

Yet, the streets were telling a different story. Chloe had been staring at the map of Metropolis for an hour, while maps indicating where the other team members were located were minimized, and there was no change. There was no activity in Metropolis, no criminals to catch, no woman in black to be spotted. It was too quiet. Suspicious, she went through the logs again. There was nothing. If there was nothing she wondered how Oliver was fairing. Tapping away at the keys she pulled up Oliver's whereabouts. She tilted her face in confusion when Oliver seemed to be in Suicide Slums.

' _Maybe he's anticipating something._ '

Clicking the controls she set out to find out from him what was going on. If it was important she certainly wanted to know. Yet, it wasn't like him to not inform her.

"Arrow, this is Watchtower. Is everything okay?"

She waited back for a response, but there was silence. Now, she was really worried. As she got up to retrieve her phone a voice came through the speakers.

"Chloe…" it groaned.

It was Oliver. Running back to the computer she tried to tap into the camera on his glasses but the image kept flickering.

"Oliver? Oliver? Is everything okay?" She cried out.

"Zod." Was all he managed to say before the connection was severed.

Chloe's heart stopped. Zod had struck and it had been right underneath her nose. How had she not known? How could this have happened? Trying to keep in control she was able to get Oliver's exact location. She ran for her phone and dialed the only person who could help. She silently prayed that this wasn't going to be the start of multiple colossal events.

~/~

When he and Lois finally called a truce to the food war, Clark had sped off to Lois' apartment and back so the both of them could change into new clothes. He had informed Callie and Kara that he was going to give Lois her gift, which they curiously pestered him as to what it was. He avoided answering since at times it seemed that Lois had the superhearing when it came down to news stories or presents, especially. When Clark finally brought Lois up to the loft he told her to face the window and shut her eyes.

"Okay, Smallville. Can I open my eyes now?" Lois asked. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind when you asked me to come up here."

Clark stood behind as his mouth curled into a smile. He had wanted this moment to be significant and of course, Lois, unknowingly, was tampering with the mood he was trying to set.

"Last night you said that I wasn't that hard to figure out."

He watched her mouth smirk. "Because you aren't."

Clark rolled his eyes at her answer.

"You have always been able to see me differently. You make me feel normal despite knowing the truth about me, and even before that."

Placing his hands on her shoulders he turned her around to him. She opened her eyes and stared up into his.

"Clark, where is this going?"

Clark cleared his throat and went over to his desk. Opening the drawer he pulled out the leather bound journal given to him long ago.

"I'd been trying to figure out what to get you for your birthday. I wanted it to be really meaningful. Then Callie said something to me. She told me that what I got for you didn't need to be extravagant or over the top to show you how I feel about you. It just had to be simple and from the heart. I knew she was right and that's when I realized I had the perfect thing all along."

Clark walked back toward her slowly and extended the journal to her.

Amused, she asked, "You're giving me your diary, Smallville?"

"Not mine. It belonged to a renowned scientist, Dr. Virgil Swan. He was the one who showed me where I was from, told me my Kryptonian name, and gave me my history. After he died his daughter gave me his journal. It's sort of a better explanation of who I am."

"The unabridged user's guide to all things Kryptonian?" She asked.

Clark smiled, "Something like that." His hand cupped her cheek as he gazed at her face. "I want you to know me completely, with no secrets. You're the only one."

"So my gift is _you_?"

"All of me." He clarified as his hands landed on her hips and pulled her closer.

She placed the journal behind her as her hands were then firmly planted on his chest. His eyes dropped down to watch them as they slid to the buttons of his shirt. He stood still as she unbuttoned the top button and worked her way down to the second one.

"Lois, what are you doing?" He whispered.

"Unwrapping my present."

Her hands moved to each button that was left until his shirt was open in front of her. She slowly slid it off of his shoulders. It sank down until it reached his elbows since he was still holding onto her. Her hands then returned to his bare chest. He sucked in a breath as they roamed every inch of him. Her head tilted up and her lips latched onto his. His hands glided from her hips up around her back, pulling her flush up against him. The kiss began to deepen until Lois unexpectedly pulled away.

"We're going too fast again, aren't we?" He voiced.

She shook her head and placed her hands on her blouse. "Since I get all of you, I want you to have all of me, too."

He tilted his head then watched as her hands grabbed the hem of her shirt and she started to pull it up.

"Wait." He said, stopping her. "Are you sure? What you said last time-."

"Clark. I want this. The possibility will always be there. What are we going to do? Wait forever?"

"I'd wait forever for you."

"Forever is a long time. Plus, I'm the birthday girl."

"Are you sure?" He asked again.

"Help me strip, Smallville." She commanded.

"Aye aye, Sailor." He nodded as he placed his hands over hers and helped her pull her shirt over her head.

It dropped to the side and he rid his arms of his shirt so hers would have company. His feet shuffled backward as their lips met again with more fervor. Flesh was touching flesh and memories of the night in her apartment resurfaced. The way she felt beneath his hands. It was imprinted on his brain. There was the scent of her hair, the taste of her lips, and her body fitting complete with his. He never thought he'd be able to get enough. She was like a drug and with her he let everything go. He had mulled over this before, but if red kryptonite had a human form its name would be Lois Lane.

The back of his legs reached the couch and he turned around so he could lay Lois down on it. His body climbed onto hers, leaving room to not crush her, and his lips resumed back to their sanctuary. Her pleasurable moan was like music to ears. He pulled back to look down at her beautiful face. Her eyes opened slowly and he grinned down at her. He still wanted to make sure that this was what she wanted. Her matching grin was the clearance he needed.

His hand was sandwiched between the cushion and her back as it toyed with the clasp of her bra. As she arched her back to give him room, the strap on her left shoulder fell down. He kissed his way to the spot where the strap had just been and sucked on her skin.

"Clark…" She breathed out as her nails scratched along his back.

As he was about to completely remove her bra his phone started to ring. They both froze in rigid poses as their eyes simultaneously looked at his pocket. Fear rose in him and he could see it in Lois' eyes, as well, when they met again.

"Lois, I—."

"Clark, answer it." She cut him off.

He swallowed back as he pulled the phone out of his back pocket and saw Chloe's name on the screen.

' _This could be it. The woman in black might have finally showed up._ '

Lois had already shifted out from underneath him and begun to adjust her bra and put her shirt back on. Clicking the answer key he placed the phone to his ear.

"Chloe?" he answered tentatively.

"Clark. Something's happened to Oliver. Zod attacked him."

"What?!" His voiced boomed, startling Lois. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"I called Emil and an ambulance rushed him to the hospital." There was a beat and he could tell that Chloe was really shaken up. "Clark, Emil said that there was a symbol burnt into his chest."

"What kind of symbol?"

"A kryptonian one. I think Zod left a message for you."

His eyes glanced at Lois. She was trying to assess what his conversation was about. He could see how alarmed she was. Yet, inside he was even more distressed as his mind flashed back to Zod attacking them in the barn they were sitting in. How a weapon with kryptonian poison had cut Lois and sent her to the hospital. How she almost died.

"I'll get Kara and be right there."

"Hurry."

Clark ended the call and put the phone back into his pocket.

"Clark, what's going on? It's him isn't it? Zod."

Clark nodded, "He attacked Oliver."

Her eyes opened wide. "Is he okay?"

"Emil is working on him. I have to get Kara and get you and Callie off this farm."

"What? Why?"

"Lois, he knows about this place and he knows how I feel about you. If he's after me, then I don't want you caught in this again." He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed them. "I can't lose you."

"Okay." She relented. "Let's go get them."

*/*

With clothes straightened, Clark, in his blue shirt and red jacket ensemble now, and Lois barreled into the house through the side door.

"Callie! Kara!" he yelled.

The girls peeked up over the couch. They were sitting watching television and he hated that he had to pull them away from such a domestic and normal moment.

"Whoa, what's up?" Callie asked.

"We have a situation." He began to explain.

"What kind of situation?" Callie asked as she and Kara immediately exited the living room and walked to them.

"Zod attacked Oliver."

"Is he okay?" "What happened?" The girls voiced at the same time.

"He's at Met Gen right now, but Callie I need you and Lois to get off the farm. You can go to Lois' apartment. You should be safer there."

"You don't need me on the front lines?" She asked cautiously.

"I need you to do one of the most important jobs." He hinted.

She nodded as she understood what he meant. "Of course. You can count on me."

He figured if Callie and Lois were at Lois' apartment it was more likely they would be out of harm's way. He also assessed that if the slightest chance the time came that Callie had to leave then Lois would be safe enough there until he and his team had a handle on Zod.

Turning to Lois he could see how even in this forlorn situation she looked up at him with bright eyes. He found a renewed strength in them. His forehead angled down as it rested on hers.

"Everything is going to be okay." He assured her.

"I know. Be safe and kick his ass, Smallville."

His lips curled into a grin just as they captured hers again. He put everything into the kiss. He needed her to know how much she meant to him, how kissing her replenished something deep inside him, and how with just a kiss he could know how she felt for him without words and vice versa. They didn't need words. Actions spoke louder and at a crucial time like this it was all they needed. Just a kiss. Just a kiss and he felt like he could do anything.

They broke apart and she cupped his cheek, touching him one last time, before turning to stand beside Callie.

Callie looked at him with sparkling blue eyes. He hoped this wouldn't be the last time he saw her. Not like this. Not under these conditions. They too didn't need words. He believed it was their familial connection that allowed them to do so. They both were wishing this wasn't happening, but they both knew they had a job to do, that they each needed to protect people and keep them safe.

"Before I go," Callie began as she went to the drawer and pulled out a pad of yellow post-its and a red Sharpie. She wrote something fast then looked back up at him. Pulling the piece of paper off she slapped it in the middle of his chest and rubbed it in place. "Be careful."

She turned back to Lois who was in the doorway and in a flash they were gone. Looking down at his chest he saw that she had drawn his family's crest on it. He looked back at the empty space and his hand hovered over the post-it note. He took pride in what Callie had just done and the confidence she had put in him in one small gesture.

He thought back to when the two of them had first met, how they had reacted to each other, and now how that all had changed. In her eyes he had earned that shield in the middle of his chest. He had earned the place that she had yearned for him to be from the beginning: her father. She didn't have to say it. She didn't even know that he knew, but that gesture showed it and it was in the perfect place; it was close to his heart. His family was close to his heart, always. The symbol that stood for hope and for his family would guide him through whatever was waiting for him.

"Kal-El?" Kara asked, interrupting his thoughts.

He turned back at her and rubbed the symbol once more before dropping his hands to his sides.

"Let's go."

~/~

Callie gently released Lois out of her grasp as they reached the front door to her apartment. Lois softly muttered "whoa" and Callie felt bad about speeding so fast.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she said as she put her key into the lock. "Just a little different than what I'm used to."

Callie grinned as she raised her eyebrows, "I'm sure."

' _Did I just say that?_ '

Lois' cheeks reddened a bit as she opened the door. Callie went in first and assessed the apartment with x-ray vision. There was nothing planted, nothing seemed out of place, and no one was hiding waiting for them.

"We're clear." She said as she waved Lois in.

She could feel Lois rolling her eyes behind her as she walked further into the living room. Not that she could blame her. She understood the annoyance of feeling overprotected, but this was different. This was Zod. Everything else had to take a backseat and protection was the priority.

"I'm going to make some tea. You want some?" Lois asked.

Callie nodded, "Sure."

Looking around the apartment she spotted the French doors. They reminded her of the doors from when she was a kid. She could remember moving the cloth that covered the window in anticipation of her father's arrival. There were even the times all three of them would sit out on the balcony. They would gaze up into the sky and her father would try to do his best to point out the stars to her. Of course nothing beat the country sky, but it was still special.

Somehow, Callie had ended up out on the balcony without even realizing it. She looked up into the sky and tried to find all the different constellations that she could. She looked down at her left wrist and sighed. She shut her eyes and rubbed her pocket with the pictures in them. In her moment of reflection the hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood up. Her eyes snapped open and in her view was a figure speeding toward her. She stepped back as the figure landed.

"You." She breathed as she recognized the figure. It was Faora. "Come for a rematch?"

Faora reached out and grabbed her. She pulled the chain that was securely around her neck out from under her shirt. Pointing to the symbol she said, "I came to collect."

Before she could react she felt her body flying back through the French doors. She groaned on top of the debris of broken wood and glass. When she focused she saw Faora standing over her. Callie's first instinct was to look for her mother. She kicked Faora in the leg, sending her stumbling. Callie tried to reach the kitchen, but before she could Faora picked her up and threw her onto the coffee table. It crumbled underneath the combination of power used to toss her and her weight.

As Faora stood over once more Callie kicked her in the stomach. She saw Lois sneak up behind Faora and hit her over the head with the tea pot. Of course, the pot dented at contact and Faora swatted at Lois, which sent her down to the ground. Callie had already moved around the couch to try and get to her mother and punch Faora out in the process. Before Callie could retaliate there was a crash through the front door. The force of the crash sent her barreling into the wall.

"Callie!" She heard her name being called.

She squinted her eyes a few times and pushed herself up. Once she got into a standing position she found that her mother was already in Zod's custody. Faora grabbed her arm, but Callie elbowed her in the face.

"Let her go." She demanded Zod.

"Or what? With the flick of my wrist I can break her neck before you even get over here."

He pulled Lois' head hair back by her hair and she winced in pain.

"NO!" Callie screamed. "Stop it."

She could feel her eyes watering, but she took a deep breath and blinked them away.

"What do you want?" She grunted angrily.

Dragging Lois along with him he stood toe to toe with her. His face moved closer as he spoke.

"I want this decrepit planet's inhabitants to fall to their knees and kneel before me. I want the one you call 'The Blur' to be strung up and made an example of as my army overruns this planet and makes it a new paradise, a new Krypton."

"And, what? You take us and you get to him?"

The side of his mouth curled up. "Oh, he is only the constellation prize. You, my dear, are the key."

She narrowed her eyes in confusion. Then, she felt her body change somehow. She didn't feel right. Turning to her left she saw Faora holding something blue as it came hurtling toward her face. Then all she saw was black.

~/~

Clark sped into Watchtower after leaving Kara at the hospital. She suggested she stay by Oliver's side while everyone else was out on alert for Zod. If he came back she would be there to protect everyone. He agreed even though he knew that it was unlikely that Zod would return. His attack on Oliver had been a message to him. Emil had mentioned forwarding pictures of the wounds to Chloe before Oliver had been taken into surgery.

When he saw Chloe she was frantically moving around. She hadn't even registered that he had entered the room until he placed his hand on her shoulder stopping her.

"Chloe."

She looked at him surprised then deflated she moved past him to grab her tablet and stylus.

"We need to find him, Clark."

"Chloe, I know, but you need to slow down. We can work on this together."

Chloe shook her head as she glided the stylus across the tablet. She dropped the tablet on the desk and sighed. Clark understood her frustration and he felt terrible.

"He went after Oliver for a reason. He's picked off one of the members of the team here in Metropolis as everyone else is scattered across the globe. If this isn't divide and conquer then I don't what is." Chloe slammed her hand on the table. "We should have stayed together as a unit. He was traipsing across the world knowing that we would send people to investigate and look at what happened. How could I be so stupid?"

"Chloe, you aren't stupid. We all did what we thought was best. We worked together as a team sharing our intel and spread out to try and cover more ground. What happened to Oliver isn't on you, it's on Zod. And we still have a chance to stop him before he creates any more havoc." He turned Chloe around so she was looking at him. "We can do this. We just need to piece the puzzle together."

He saw Chloe relax a little and get back to work on the tablet she had just had in her hand. She cleared her throat as a kryptonian character popped up on the screen.

"Emil sent this to me. This was the symbol burned into Oliver's chest. Do you know what it means?"

Clark looked at it carefully. "Blood."

"Blood?"

Clark nodded.

"The camera in Oliver's glasses had flickered but I was able to pick out your symbol burnt on the wall behind Oliver's body. Emil confirmed it since he was at the scene. It isn't settling well."

"It isn't settling well with me either." He replied.

"Well, he made it perfectly clear he's out to get you."

"Not just me, Chloe. My blood."

"You think he literally means that he wants your blood?"

"Ever since the first attack I've been racking my brain with the things he said. _I will finally open the door and my army will be unleashed._ If he needs to open a door then maybe he needs a key."

"A key." Chloe mulled over. "Your blood is the key?"

"Jor-El was a scientist. He built all kinds of things. Look at the Phantom Zone. The blood of an El is the key out. Maybe there's another door to something."

"Well if we go back, we know from Lois that Tess had been talking about an alien orb. Then we have the markings on the Luthor lawn. So, Zod and Faora made their way out, but only them. Maybe that's how this all fits."

"That's why he's been after me; he needs to open the door again. We have to warn Kara, too."

"Clark, it's not just you and Kara." Chloe said in urgency. "I don't know how to tell you this but—."

Clark's eyes grew larger. "Callie. He's going after Callie."

"You know?"

He nodded.

" _How_?"

"Since she decided to stay in the Phantom Zone. How long have _you_ known?"

"Since the time I walked in on you, Lois, and Callie playing Guitar Hero together. You really couldn't _not_ see it. It all made sense and when I confronted her about it she confirmed it. But you—you didn't say anything?" She asked, surprised.

"Did you say anything when you found out about my secret?"

"No, not that I didn't try to coax it out of you a time or two. You weren't ready to tell me."

"Exactly. I had my moments too of wanting her to tell me, but in the end it's her decision. I wanted to respect that. She didn't want me to know."

"It's not that she doesn't, Clark. She feels she can't."

"I know that, too."

"Clark, we need to warn her."

Clark's eyes stayed in a widened panic as a new realization came to him. "I sent her with Lois."

He disappeared from Watchtower at a pace even unbelievable to him as he sped into the night toward Lois' apartment.


	32. Chapter Thirty-One: Nothing Takes the Past Away Like the Future

**Chapter Thirty-One** **:** _**Nothing Takes the Past Away Like the Future** _

Clark had never moved so fast in his life. Every muscle was in use as he strained to move even faster. He even thought at one point his feet hadn't been on the ground—that the wind was carrying him or maybe he was pushing against it. He didn't quite know and he didn't have time to think about it either. As fast as he had been, when he arrived at his destination and saw the damage to Lois' apartment he seemed to be in slow motion. The door had been completely blown through. The doors that led to the balcony were shattered as glass lay on the floor. The coffee table was in pieces as a dented tea pot was strewn in the mess.

His pulse was racing. They were gone. Zod had them. Oliver had been a message and a distraction. Zod had what he needed. He had Callie and Lois. While the capture of any one of his friends would cause him pain, the fact that it was the two of them…

He cupped his head into his hands. He needed a clear head if he was going to save them. He needed to save them. They were his family. If anything happened to either of them he would never be able to forgive himself. If he had been in a dark place two months ago who knew what he would spiral into if—No. He couldn't think that way.

He tilted his head up and looked for any clues. As he walked in further he felt something change within his body. He didn't feel normal. He went to use his x-ray vision and found that he couldn't. It was gone. He began to panic until his eyes caught something blue and glowing on the floor. He picked up the fracture of a stone and immediately identified it as blue kryptonite. Zod knew about it. He obviously knew what it could do. He somehow knew about Callie.

Shaking his head he dropped the stone, backed away from it, and headed back out into the hallway. As fast as he had made it to Lois' apartment he was back at Watchtower. He was going to find Zod and when he did he didn't know if he'd be able to hold back his rage.

"Clark!" Chloe screamed. As she examined his face her expression changed. "Please tell me that they're okay."

He shook his head solemnly. "Zod has them."

He could see Chloe breaking once more as her face contorted between anguish and anger. "This can't be."

He extended his hand to her shoulder for comfort. "I promise I will find them," he firmly declared.

Chloe nodded and turned back to her desk. Her hand slid across the flat surface and a map of Metropolis appeared before him.

"I'm casing all the cameras in Metropolis. It's taking some time because there's a frequency jam. I'm running diagnostic on that as well."

"You think it's Zod?"

"I think he's been planning this for a while and wouldn't put it past him. He's had time to study our technology. Study us. Krypton was more sophisticated than this. I don't doubt that he's capable of doing anything."

"How long?"

She was still and he didn't take that as a good sign. She turned her head slowly and looked at him over her shoulder.

"I don't know. It could be a few minutes to a few hours depending on if I hit any other roadblocks."

He let his head hang low. They couldn't wait that long. He knew that she knew that and he wasn't going to press it. There was so much going on in his mind that he couldn't concentrate. So many thoughts were moving faster than speeding bullets in his brain.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus on Callie or Lois' voice but couldn't hear anything.

" _Then don't focus on her voice. Focus on her heartbeat."_ Callie's voice rang in his ears.

He remembered her saying that long ago. Holding on to her words, he closed his eyes once more and concentrated.

~/~

" _Callie!...Callie_!"

Callie groaned as she brought her hand to her face. Her cheekbone felt bruised and she winced a little when her fingertips grazed it. Her lids slowly fluttered open. She pushed herself up from the cold hard ground and recognized her surroundings immediately. They were on the Daily Planet rooftop.

"Callie?" She heard Lois whisper.

She looked in Lois' direction and caught her concerned appearance. Callie quickly made sure that her mother hadn't been harmed and as relieved to see she was fine. They both glanced over to Zod and Faora who were deep in conversation over some object she couldn't quite see. Her mother then inched closer to her.

"Are you okay?" she whispered.

"I am. You?" Callie asked double checking.

"I've been in worse situations."

Callie snorted at that. Lois' confused expression only furthered her grin.

"And what exactly is so amusing?" Zod's voice cut through the air.

She glared at him then softened her expression with a smile. "Just some girl chat." Then she sighed. "But who am I to try and hide something from you? So, I just want to know…would I be a total kiss ass if I said I got myself caught just so I could be closer to _you_?"

He smirked at her and inquired, "Got yourself caught?"

" _Oops_." She batted her eyelashes.

"Don't think your feminine charms will work on me."

" _Ah_ , I see. No judgement here. Total support. But you're going to catch more guys with honey than with this psycho killer vinegar."

Zod marched up to her and raised his arm to strike at her. "Hey!" Lois called out as Faora held his arm back.

"You cannot let her blood be shed yet." Faora said in a low voice.

He seemed to deflate at her words and Callie wondered just what was in store for her. With a scowl he turned away from her and back to a silver ball. Faora stood guard in front of her and Lois.

"So, this is the dark side, huh? I was informed that you'd have cookies. False advertisement." Callie rolled her eyes.

"I think it would be in your best interest to keep that mouth of yours shut." Faora commanded.

Callie glanced at her mother from the corner of her eye and could see she was about to say something but lightly put her hand over hers to stop her. If anyone was going to be the pain in the ass in this situation it was going to be her. She had learned from the best after all and grinned inwardly.

"Can I just tell you something, woman to woman?" Faora's attention was on her. "The pants, not flattering. The camouflage ain't camouflaging those hips, honey, but I guess we know where all those _cookies_ went…"

Faora tried to keep a straight face, but Callie knew she was getting to her. She needed to get to Faora. She knew she was trained to be a soldier, but Callie had her own training from the General. Faora turned to go back to Zod while still keeping an eye on them.

There was no way to escape with the both of them there and she couldn't risk putting her mother's life in jeopardy either. She recalled seeing blue before she was knocked out and used her x-ray vision on Faora. She had a box in her jacket pocket that she couldn't see through. Lead. If she had lead then that meant she had kryptonite.

' _Blue kryptonite._ '

If Callie got her hands on it then it would even the playing field and they might have a shot of getting the advantage and getting off that roof.

"I know you probably went to the Lois Lane school of being a hostage, but I don't think saying that's going to help right now." Lois whispered through the side of her mouth.

"It's distracting her. That's what I need."

Lois tilted her head in confusion.

"Do you trust me?" Callie asked.

"Of course I do." Lois stated.

Callie smiled. "Good."

Callie stood up and looked around. She spotted the camera and hoped against hope that Watchtower had locked onto their location and a cavalry was coming as back up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zod asked looking up at her.

She shrugged, "Just wondering why there are so many leaves on the roof if there are no trees this high."

"Sit down!" He barked.

She started to move back and looked at Lois.

"What is that you want with us exactly? You bring us up here and hold us captive, for what? A game of metal hot potato?" Lois asked, gesturing to what Callie now saw as an orb. A kryptonian orb.

Zod held the object up for everyone to see.

' _Great, it's the orb that talks to people. Fantastic_.'

"This lovely creation holds what is most dear to Krypton, its last city. Your former boss, Tess Mercer had it in her possession. She freed me and Faora, yet, the rest of my race laid dormant inside. I will rectify that."

"How?" Lois pressed.

"You will soon find out. And when they arrive they will receive their powers."

"What? You'll take them sunbathing?" Callie quipped.

Zod snarled at her. "Yellow sun did not give me my powers like it was supposed to. It wasn't until I was in a lab that was owned by Miss Mercer's company that I had been blessed in receiving them. She hadn't been willing to find the resources to help me fast enough so I decided to help myself. She had been hoarding debris and what looked like blood from the attack on the city weeks prior. Curiosity got the better of me and I was cut by glass that had blood on it. I felt the wound, yet then felt something powerful run through me. That's when I understood that there was someone else out there that was Kryptonian, that held the powers under the yellow sun. So, I sought out the information, which she also hadn't been too willing to give, and I found him. Then I found another resource." He said eyeing Callie.

"And the disco ball?" Lois asked.

"Was made by his father. I know Jor-El well. I know how he operates with his inventions." His face came closer to Callie. She swallowed back and tried to remain stoic.

' _Way to still be a close talker, Zod_.'

"That's where you come in. I could have gone after Kal-El, but you were the easier target." He smirked.

Callie could feel the anger building up. Easier target? No one called her easy. Not in any way, shape, or form. If they did, they better be ready to feel the consequences of it.

She felt her lip twitch up in anger, but then felt Lois' hand on her shoulder pulling her back.

"Let's not start the royal rumble right now." Lois said.

"Now's the perfect time."

Callie launched herself at Zod and tackled him to the ground. She felt Faora pull her off and she twisted to put her hand in Faora's jacket pocket pulling out a small metal box. She let Faora throw her to the ground. She grunted as she hit the floor hard, but also had to hide her smile as she gripped the box close to her chest.

~/~

Lois scooted across the wall right next to the fallen Callie. She kept an eye on Faora and Zod all the while trying to protect Callie any way she could. She glanced at the door and knew that they wouldn't be able to make it a foot without one of the soldier twins hightailing in front of them.

In her heart she called out for Clark. She prayed that Oliver was okay and that Clark had figured out what had happened to them. She closed her eyes and screamed internally to him to come and save their daughter. When she opened them back up and looked over at Callie. She spied the box against her chest. She must have swiped it from Faora before being thrown down.

' _I probably taught that to her.'_ She smiled secretly.

Callie's eyes met hers and they were asking her to trust her again, that she had a plan. She communicated back, " _What do you need me to do_?" Callie tilted her head at Faora and signaled her eyes to the ground. She wanted Lois to take her out. But how?

Callie clutched the box and pursed her lips. She was indicating whatever was in the box would help. Lois nodded. She trusted her. If this was how they would get away then she would do it.

Her lips curled up into a mischievous grin as she started to clap her hands. This caught Faora's attention while Zod was still preoccupied with setting up the area for his own purposes.

"Why are you clapping?" Faora snapped.

"Because I'm happy and I know it. Want to see what happens when I'm pissed and I show it?"

"What is it with the both of you? If I can't touch her," she pointed to Callie, "then I'll enjoy taking my frustrations out on you."

When Faora was close enough Callie opened the lid and revealed a blue stone. It was the same stone that Faora had used on Callie to knock her out Lois realized.

"How about we flip that and I take my frustration out on you?"

Lois fisted her left hand and launched a punch right into Faora's nose. She punched her with her right fist and spin kicked her stomach. Faora stumbled back on to the ledge as her hand cupped her nose while hunched over.

' _That's what a little Lane Kwon Do gets you._ '

Lois noticed that Callie made sure she stayed close enough to Faora to make sure she was still vulnerable. Lois worried that this would make Callie vulnerable once again, but she also knew that Callie could handle herself.

"You owe me a new apartment, bitch." She said to Faora.

Callie lifted the blue stone out and hit it against the brick wall. She kept a piece for herself and threw a piece to Lois. Callie then hit Faora again in the face, knocking her out and placed the piece of blue stone in Faora's pocket.

"What is this stuff?" Lois asked.

"Blue kryptonite."

"Blue? How many different colors are there?"

"A lot. Watch out for the black. That one's a disaster." Callie hinted.

The sound of boots across the concrete was brought to both of their attention.

"You think you're clever."

"Well, I am ' _Little Miss Know It All_ ' seventeen years running." Callie said and then crossed her fingers on both hands. "Here's going for eighteen."

Zod stalked closer and Lois jumped on his back as she threw Callie the stone to get a better grip on him. He let out grunts as he tried and to swing her off his back. She punched him right in the shoulder just as Callie punched him in the face. Lois thought that would take him out, but Zod was still very strong without his powers. He was a military man, so he knew how to take pain. She understood that. They had been luckier in catching Faora off guard.

Zod stood erect suddenly, which sent her falling to the hard ground on her butt. He reached in front of him and pulled Callie to him.

"If you think I can be brought down by a silly stone you are mistaken."

"Not to go all Sunday school on you, but David beat Goliath with a _silly stone._ "

Lois watched as Zod pried Callie's hand open. She fought him but he was able to get the stone from her. He threw it over the edge of the roof and pushed Callie down in the process.

"Don't you touch her!" Lois seethed.

Zod looked her way. "You're absolutely right."

Lois managed to get up, but was slammed into the steel door by Zod. The knob of the door hit her spine and she hissed in pain. Zod grabbed her arm roughly and dragged her to the other side of the roof and up the platform. Callie ran over to them but Zod held up his hand signaling for her to halt.

"You dare defy me?! You try to execute your own rubbish plan under my nose? _You will kneel_."

"Callie, don't." Lois pleaded.

"Never." Callie spat at him.

He chuckled. "Never? You earthlings have a saying don't you? Never say never?"

They moved closer to the edge of the roof until the upper part of Lois' body was dangling over the city street. Her breathing started to become erratic as her heart beat faster. Internally, she called out for Clark again.

"Don't. Please." She heard Callie cry.

"Alright. I'll take pity on you."

Zod stared at Lois and gave her the most evil smile she had ever seen in her life. She felt the force of a push of his arm and her whole body was tossed off the roof. She heard Callie's blood curdling scream. Lois was mute as she fell. She felt gravity pulling her down and a tear escape her eye. Images of all her loved ones flashed in her mind. The last image was when she was leaving the Kent farm for Metropolis after staying there after her return. Her mind recaptured the image of Callie and Clark waving after she had given her quick wave goodbye.

Goodbye.

' _I love you both. I love you, Clark_.'

And she closed her eyes and kept falling.

~/~

Clark reached out for the both of them. He tried to block out all the sounds of the city, which was proving to be quite difficult. With his eyes squeezed shut he let everything fall away and he just focused on the beating of one heart: Lois' heart. He could hear it. He could feel it. It was as if her heart was beating in his chest and it was crying out for him. It was erratic and begging for him to save them.

" _Clark…_ "

"Lois?" He gasped as his eyes snapped open.

Chloe jumped up and ran to his side. "You heard her?"

"I can feel her calling out for me. Her heart is racing."

"Clark, where are they?" Chloe's large blue eyes pleaded.

"The Daily Planet." He stated with conviction.

Chloe ran back to the computer and started to tap fervently at the keyboard and sift through every camera that was in the building.

"They're not inside. Time to take a look outside."

Clark's eyes widened as he viewed Lois and Callie fighting Zod themselves. Lois was on Zod's back and had just been thrown off. He had Callie in his grasp. Clark could feel his blood boiling. He was about to dash off when Chloe stopped him.

"Chloe, I have to go _now_!" He shouted.

"Clark, hang on. What exactly is the plan here? I want you to save them too, but I also don't want to lose all three of you. Zod's probably expecting you bust through that door."

"Then I won't bust through the door." He said.

His eye travelled back to the monitor where he viewed Zod and Lois at the edge of the roof. They were slightly out of view, but he certainly saw the point where Zod let go of Lois.

"LOIS!"

He dashed out of Watchtower and felt the same sensation as when he had traveled to the apartment. His feet weren't on the ground. He guided his body through the air and in between buildings. He saw her form falling and sped up. He extended his arms underneath her and felt the contact when they collided. He held her close as he steered up and around the Daily Planet. Her eyes were still closed until, he figured, she noticed she hadn't hit the ground.

"Clark?" She whispered.

He smiled brightly at her. She looked around them and gripped him even closer.

"Don't worry, Lois. I've got you."

"You've got me? Who's got you?" She asked with wide eyes. She looked back up at him with a beaming smile. "You're flying, Smallville. Always doing the impossible."

He felt warmth and accomplishment run through his veins. He was flying and it felt incredible. Clark flashed another smile and focused on circling the building and landing on the sidewalk. He still held her in his arms for a brief moment, soaking in that he had saved her and she was alive, before he let her hop out of his grasp. Unable to let go of her too long he pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tightly before letting her go again.

"Lois, what happened up there?"

"He said he needs Callie to open some orb. He's talking as crazy as Tess was when she accused me of stealing that damn thing."

Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling, almost like thunder, in the air.

"Okay, I know I didn't eat dinner, but I'm almost positive that wasn't my stomach." She commented.

Then there was a blast and this time the earth shook beneath them. They both looked up and saw a massive yellow cloud materialize. Rain started to fall down on them hard.

"Callie!" He breathed out.

"Clark, she needs _you_. The world needs _you_. Go."

He nodded and said, "Stay here."

He knew she probably wouldn't comply with his plea, but he said it anyway. Looking up as the rain pelted his face he thought about his daughter and her need for him. Focusing on his feelings, his love for her and his fear for her, he crouched down and then launched his feet off the ground. He extended his fists in front of him and moved up, up, and away.

~/~

The moment that she had seen her mother disappear from sight she had screamed so loud she thought glass would shatter. She had launched herself to go over the ledge and attempt to save her, but Zod had pulled her back. She fought against him trying any maneuver she could but he wouldn't let her go.

He wanted her blood or whatever, right? Didn't he understand that throwing Lois off a building meant that she would die and in turn Callie would die? Zod would lose out. While the Zod losing out part was an upper, two lives being lost was the tragedy.

She still tried to get out of his grasp, but he threw her into the wall and held her against it.

"You can't save her."

She stifled a cry and closed her eyes.

' _Mom! Mom!_ ' she cried in her mind. ' _Mom, I'm so sorry._ '

She waited for the moment it would all end. The moment that she had failed for good. The moment where she had destroyed everything she had worked so hard to try and preserve. She waited. She waited.

She waited for the end.

Only, the end didn't come. She lifted one eyelid slightly and she was still alive. Everything was still in its place and hadn't imploded. She hadn't disappeared unless she really had died and her being stuck with Zod was hell. Which, hey, it could be, but she decided to be the glass half full kind of gal.

Her mother had been saved. She smiled inwardly at that fact. Her mother was still alive. But Zod had tried to kill her and that meant she was going to rip that smirk off his face.

She looked up at him and stomped on his foot. He held in his grunt of pain and pushed her back so he could get the orb.

"You try anything else, try to escape, and there are worse things I could do."

Zod began chanting in Kryptonese, she suspected. There was a loud boom that rocked the top of the roof. A light shot out from the orb and into the sky creating a large yellow cloud. The cloud grew larger and it began to rain. Zod slowly turned and faced her.

"And now for your blood. The blood of an El." He said as he pulled out a kryptonite knife that had been shielded with a lead sheath.

"Get away from her!"

Callie looked in the direction of the voice and viewed Clark hovering in the air with his arms crossed over his chest. _Hovering_. He was suspended in midair as it was raining and she could have sworn, just for a moment, that she was home in the future and her father was there to save her. She smiled up at him and caught the yellow post-it peeking out from his crossed arms. He had done it. He could fly.

~/~

Clark looked down below and sent a small smile to Callie. He could see the awe in her face as she looked up at him. He pursed his lips as he slowly descended and stared at Zod.

"Let her go." He ordered.

"My people, _our_ people, are trapped. Jor-El used his blood to seal the door. It's time to open it back up!" Zod shouted angrily.

"And how exactly did you get out in the first place?" He inquired calmly.

"The blood of an El was shed."

That was a little more detailed than Tess' explanation of him fighting Doomsday and that allowing the orb to open. It was true, though. His blood had been shed. The orb had known? He seemed to think that he might never understand Kryptonian technology.

"Under the right circumstances the orb can be opened once more. And one way or another I will make sure it will be done!"

Zod began to walk toward Callie and Clark put himself in the way in between them. He fisted Zod's jacket and held him in place.

"Don't you touch her." He fumed.

"Offering your blood, now?" Zod smirked.

"You won't be getting either of us, so back off, Zod."

"Or what, son of Jor-El?" Zod walked further up to him. "I see the rage in your eyes. It's the rage when your family is in danger. And knowing how I threw the woman you love off the roof to her death doesn't help, does it?"

Clark didn't react. He just stared him down. He needed to put a stop to this and he wasn't going to let Zod try and manipulate him.

"I saved her, Zod. Just like I will save everyone on this planet from you. No more lives will be threatened by you."

Zod continued, "My family was sacrificed in Kandor when it was first lost. Yours will be sacrificed to bring Kandor back."

In the corner of his eye he saw Faora rise off the ground and toss something over the side of the building.

"Behind you!" Callie screamed.

Clark turned to stop Faora who was about to strike on him. This, or course, drew his attention away from Zod. He immobilized Faora enough to witness Zod going after Callie once more. She punched and kicked him, but he was determined to get her. When he had his hand around her neck, Clark snapped. He thrust Faora into the brick wall and hurried to Zod. Zod dropped Callie to the ground and two of them stood staring at each other.

Zod threw the first punch, which Clark dodged as he crouched down and tackled Zod to the ground. Zod managed to push him into the air. Had he not learned to harness his flight he would have gone over the side of the building. Fortunately, for him, he stopped himself and landed his feet on the ground.

Callie must have seen this as an opportunity and she went after Zod. He knew Zod probably had been waiting for that and instead he again got between them. The blow meant for Callie hit him instead.

Callie stumbled to the side, while he stumbled back. When he looked up, Zod had the orb in his hand, which was in the trajectory of connecting with his face. When the orb did hit him he felt something warm cascading down his face aside from the hard cold rain. When his eyes looked down droplets of red were mixing with the water.

Lighting strikes permeated the sky as the cloud began to move in a cyclical motion. A portal was beginning to open as the orb levitated and glowed pink. The glow became increasingly larger by the minute. Zod laughed maniacally as he looked at him.

"Your people thank you, Kal-El."

His blood. His blood had touched the orb and now Zod's army was about to arrive.

"Who would have known it really _was_ bigger on the inside." He heard Callie say as she leaned into him.

He looked down at her as she looked up at him with worried eyes. They both looked at Zod who was basking in the glow of the orb. Faora was shuffling over to him.

Clark could feel an energy pulling him, almost dragging him towards the orb.

"Do you feel that?" He asked Callie.

She nodded and tried to back away, but was unable to. He watched as Zod then pulled out a long sheathed knife from his pocket once again and took the casing off, revealing that it was a radiant glowing blue. He and Faora easily stepped away from the glowing light and far enough away.

"Blue kryptonite." He gasped under his breath.

"Clark!" Callie exclaimed as she pulled on his arm. "It's a door, right?"

He nodded and his mind seemed to jump onto her thought train. "An exit or an entrance."

"So if they're coming out…"

"Then the energy is pulling us in…" He finished.

The tugging of the portal was becoming stronger. Callie grabbed his arm tightly and looked over her shoulder to Zod.

"We need to fight this and switch places."

The glow was enlarging and together they forced themselves against the pull. Zod held up the knife and exclaimed, "Either the orb pulls you in or you wait until my army comes out to defeat you."

"You love your army so much, how about you go say hi right now!"

Callie leaped to get the knife only to be pulled back by Faora. Faora, in turn, had her hair pulled and face punched by Callie for that. Clark stood in Callie's spot and his breathing became more rapid as he felt the tug of the field. The blue kryptonite seemed to alleviate the tugging. It seemed the blue kryptonite worked to keep them out of the orb.

' _It was sucking us in when we had our powers._ '

"Seeing as you love the humans so much let's see if you can fight like one."

He didn't have time to keep fighting Zod, but possibly if he could get their footwork right it could be possible to get Zod back into the orb.

Zod angled the knife diagonally, from low to high, cutting his chest and through the paper \S/ Callie had placed on there earlier. He growled in pain as he placed his hand over the wound. Clark grabbed at Zod's arm and pulled them both backward. The light was growing brighter and still increasing in size. He was almost in the middle of it. He had been distracted by trying to get the knife to fail to see that Callie and Faora were in the midst of their own battle. Callie grabbed onto Faora's hair again and began to swing her around.

"Swing your partner round and round. Pummel her face into the ground." She grunted as she sang, "Around and around Faora goes. Where she stops it really glows." And Callie let go and waved as Faora screamed. "Sayonara!"

Clark made sure to push himself and Zod out of the way so the blue kryptonite wouldn't affect Faora. She disappeared into the light and her screams dissipated.

The anger on Zod's face was immeasurable. "You think that will get rid of her? She'll be back. My whole army will be present before you in a matter of moments! Every human, including the woman _you_ love, will kneel before Zod!"

Zod chucked Clark to the ground and flew on top of him to try and stab him with the knife. He struggled to keep the tip away from hitting his chest.

"You already destroyed my first home. I won't let you take this one." Clark strained.

Clark moved Zod's hand away and rolled out from under him, causing the tip to hit the concrete. Callie ran to them and kicked Zod in the leg. That was enough to make him lose his grip on the knife. but he soon gained it back and as he stood he slashed at Callie's arm. Zod pushed against Clark and punched him in the stomach. Clark doubled over, but found the strength to uppercut Zod in the jaw. While the hit seemed victorious, it had a consequence. The knife went flying out of Zod's hand and over by the door. However, now with the blue k far from them the pull returned.

"Let's send him back!" Clark yelled.

Callie nodded and winked at Zod. "Hey, Zod. Time for you to kneel before us."

She kicked up and hit Zod right in the groin. Even Clark winced when he saw that. He moved up as Zod fell to his knees and then she lightly tapped him in the forehead, sent him further back. The light swallowed Zod up.

"Don't mess with the 'S'!" Callie shouted.

However, their joy was soon clouded as they were still unable to get out of the trajectory of the light. It was too powerful. All the fighting, getting Zod and Faora back into the orb, would be for naught if they couldn't somehow stop the orb. Clark looked down and saw that the wound he had sustained before had healed. If his blood opened the door maybe then it could close it, too. But how was he going to bleed? The knife was too far away.

Their feet scraped across the ground. Dark forms were materializing beyond the light. They were going to be either going to be sucked in or the army was going to come out or both. Any of the choices seemed dismal.

He couldn't let this happen. He wouldn't let this happen. There was still hope. He just wished it would get there soon.

~/~

Lois huffed her breaths as she climbed the stairs of the Daily Planet. Whatever was happening on the roof had caused the power to go out and that meant no elevator to use. She climbed and climbed and climbed hoping that she would make it in time. Things didn't look like they were going too well from her view on the street and in her heart knew that they needed her.

Clark had told her to stay put, but they both had known that she wouldn't listen. As she climbed the last few steps, she reached the door to the roof and pushed it open. She was met with a blinding light. Her hand went up in reflex as she squinted to see two bodies situated in the middle of the roof, the light surrounding them.

"Clark! Callie!" She screamed.

"Lois!" She heard Clark struggle in the light. "The knife."

She looked in the direction of the voice in confusion.

' _Knife? What knife?_ '

Her eyes began to scan the ground until she spotted a blue knife. She picked it up and began to try and bring it to him. She extended the weapon and Clark grabbed onto it, their fingers touching.

"Lois, don't get in its path!" She heard Callie's voice say.

She backed up and wanted nothing more than to just pull the both of them out, but that didn't seem possible. She heard Clark cry out in pain and her heart felt like it was in a vise. She couldn't watch them being sucked in. She couldn't do it.

Clark's form was moving closer to the orb, which she could faintly make out in the brilliance of light. Something was dripping from his hand. He touched the surface of the orb, but he was being pulled in and she cried out for him.

She watched as he pushed Callie out of the path and Lois caught her in a hug. The light seemed to be growing dimmer and the area in which it stretched was lessening. The roof started to shake and she witnessed Clark finally out of the trail of the light. He hurried for them, hurdling toward the wall where he huddled over and covered them. Something clanked to the ground. Then, she heard a small explosion and felt the roof rock once more.

When it was quiet, Clark moved off of them. He was at her far left as Callie was in the middle and she was on the right of her. The three of them still held on to each other as they all saw the orb in the middle of the roof, dormant and smoking. The cloud was gone, the rain had stopped, and all there was to greet them was silence.

At the same moment Clark and Lois both turned to Callie and started to check her for wounds or anything else that could have damaged her in some way.

"I don't see anything. You?" Lois asked, searching Callie's body.

"No, she seems fine."

"Good." She breathed in relief.

When they both looked up, Callie was just staring at them in wonder.

"You both know, don't you?" Was all she asked.

Lois and Clark looked at each other then back at Callie. Once again they both moved in the same moment, this time to confirm Callie's suspicion all with the nod of their heads.

~/~

Callie let out a deep breath as their nods confirmed her deepest suspicion. The one thing that she had tried to keep secret and thought she had succeeded in doing. There were so many signs though, things she had ignored just to keep thinking that they didn't know. But, they did know. There was a sense of relief and a sense of guilt battling within her.

She managed to speak. "How long?"

Clark spoke first. "Since you pushed me out of the Phantom Zone."

She shut her eyes. She knew she had taken a risk when she pushed him out with the words she had said to him and then the words in the letter she had written. The way he had acted after that had also been a clear indication. She opened her eyes back up and looked at her mother.

"And you?"

Lois licked her lips before saying, "When you were sick. I was so distraught and I found myself looking at that photo-strip we made and it all just clicked."

Callie nodded. She had figured that her mother would put it together. She actually thought it might have been before her father did.

"And neither of you said anything." She breathed out.

"You didn't want us to know." Clark replied.

"We wanted to respect that." Lois added.

"It wasn't that I didn't…"

"We know." He cut her off.

She just stared at their faces. They looked different now that she knew they knew about her. Her eyes traveled to Clark and she said, "Dad," then her eyes went to Lois and said, "Mom."

They looked taken aback that she referred to them with those labels and she had to grin at that.

"I know it probably feels weird to hear me say that to the both of you, but you have no idea how hard it has been not to utter those words to you. The times I had to hold back and the times I slipped and feared that you would figure it out. But you know now and I can say it and it feels _so_ good."

She pulled them into a hug and held them tightly. "I love you both so much. Mom. Dad. I love you both so much."

Just holding them close after almost being sucked into a kryptonian orb let her forget, for just a moment, the world around her. They knew who she was and she could openly express what she was feeling inside for them. It was all understood in that one moment. A perfect moment of family, warmth, and love. It was what she was going to carry with her to get back home where she hoped she could greet her family the same way.

"We love you, too." She heard her father whisper. She felt her mother's head move in a nod and also whispered that she loved her. Callie never felt so defenseless against tears. Hearing them say that in the situation they were in, after knowing everything, meant the world to her. It didn't matter what time she was in. She could have fallen into 2004 and she knew she would get the same reaction. They were her parents after all.

Pulling back she caught the looks on their faces and she knew they felt the same. The guilt inside started to take over. They knew about her and they had just had the perfect moment, but they wouldn't be able to remember it.

She looked at her father and felt proud that he had been able to fly. "Someone finally thought those happy thoughts, huh?"

He smiled at her. "More like thoughts of making sure to preserve those future happy moments. Thinking about the both of you…that's what got me to fly. The future with you. Callie, helped get me here."

Callie shook her head. "Don't make your magical feather. You didn't need the feather to fly. You had it in you the whole time, Dumbo."

They all chuckled and still held on to each other.

"What do we do about the orb?" Lois asked.

"I'll have to take it back to Watchtower. We'll figure out what to do from there."

The phone in Callie's back pocket started to ring. She was surprised that the device still worked after being thrown down on the ground so many times. Reaching back she plucked it out and read the screen. Chloe.

"Speaking of Watchtower," she said hesitantly as her hand shook a bit.

She swallowed back and tensed up as she answered it. "Hello?"

"Callie…" Chloe's emotional rang on the other line. "I'm so happy you're all okay."

"Me, too, but something tells me that's not why you're calling."

"No. The computer found something. There's energy reminiscent to Tempus showing up on the grid. It seems to be at the explosion site of the geothermal plant."

"Of course it is." She remarked.

' _Guess I'll be walking over the sleeping beast's grave._ '

"I've sent the map containing her whereabouts anyway. We have a track on her so if she moves we'll inform you."

Callie could hear Chloe's voice trying to stay professional while they both knew that this was really it. This was the end.

"Thanks." Her voice quivered, "see you around?"

"See you around." Chloe confirmed.

Callie hung up the phone slightly beside herself then looked up to face her parents.

"So, this is it?" Lois asked.

Callie let a tear slip down her cheek and nodded silently.

"There's so much I want to say, but it looks like our time is finally up. I know that I gave this whole speech at the party, but there are really no words to describe what the two of you mean to me. And that's why I feel so bad."

"Feel bad?" Clark questioned.

"The device Emil made me will send me back to the exact moment I disappeared. Which means when I go back, get out Tempus' grip, and I defeat her, I'll prevent—prevent…"

"Prevent yourself from coming here." Lois finished.

Callie nodded as more tears slid down. "I could change the device, but you taught me about the past and what happens if it changes, Dad. You're in here. You're both in here." She said pointing to her head. "But I'm so sorry because I wish you could remember. I am so sorry."

They were all silent until Clark finally spoke.

"Maybe this is how it was meant to be. We weren't supposed to know. The knowledge we have of the future may not be the full story but it's enough to influence change."

She watched as his hand gripped her mother's hand.

"Callie, don't be sorry. I think in the back of our heads we thought that this could happen if you went back. Clark's right. I mean, don't get me wrong, this _totally sucks_ , but this is a decision you had to make and the fact that you're using our future guidance in order to make such an important choice…I'm so proud that you're my daughter." She choked out.

"We understand." Clark confirmed. "I've been there."

Callie let a smile creep out. "I know you have."

"Right."

"Seeing the two of you and how far you've come, it's amazing. I knew the story, but to see it first hand...your story is one of legend. The two people who at first couldn't stand each other are now the two people who can't stand to be without each other."

She could sense their love for each other and their body language gave clear indications of how far they had come. Their hands were entwined and they stood so close together one might think they were joined. She also realized another reason they were holding on to each other so tight was the news she revealed to them. They said they understood and she believed them, but they clearly didn't want to let each other go. The closer they stayed the more it was possible, in their eyes, they wouldn't be separated.

' _You won't be. I promise.'_ She thought.

"You made it." She breathed through the tears. "And if you made it without me the first time around, made it out of the dark period and into the light after Doomsday, then you can do it again." She began to cry, "I know it isn't fair and I _could_ let you remember but…" Then she whispered, " _I can't_."

He nodded. "Everything will fall into place."

"Faith, right?"

He grinned and Lois' eyes sparkled as they gazed at her.

"I firmly believe that the two of you, no matter what year or alternate world I could have fallen into, are meant to be together. You find each other. Nobody messes with Lois and Clark." She looked to the sky and she felt it call for her. "And now I have to go."

"Before you go, just know that we're proud of you. We're proud of the hero you've become." Lois said.

"I'm not a hero, yet. Don't know if I ever will be." She shrugged.

"You tell _him_ that I approve of it." Clark said.

Callie let more tears come down. She sniffed, "He and I have flown circles around that subject so many times. How will he know that you actually said it?"

"You tell him—you tell him that you could be the world's greatest hero or its most mild mannered citizen, but the only person who can write your story is **you**."

"I'll tell him." She nodded.

"And you also tell him that if he doesn't listen and consider it then I'll kick his bulletproof ass."

"Hey." Clark said, turning to Lois.

"Well, I will." She reaffirmed.

Callie let out a laugh. She quickly grabbed them for another hug and wiped her eyes as she let go. She walked over to the ledge of the roof and climbed onto it. She was perched above the city she loved, the city she needed to preserve.

"It's time for me to go." She saw the worry come over their faces. "Don't worry." She pulled out her necklace and revealed the _\S/_ shield that she wore every day. It was the necklace that had been her charm and connection to her family throughout this whole experience. "See, you're always with me. Close to my heart."

They smiled at her and she smiled brightly back.

"See you later alligator." Her father said.

"In a while crocodile." Her voice cracked. "I love you."

"We love you, too…"

She turned around to the city and prepared to soar into the atmosphere until she felt the need to turn back once more.

"See you in five years." She winked then took off into the sky and rocketed to Tempus' location.

*/*

Callie surveyed the area and walked over rails and broken glass. This was exactly the place she figured she'd find Tempus. She had seen into her nightmare, her fears, and knew what this place meant to her. It wouldn't discourage her, though. She had a mission. She glanced down at the watch built by Emil and kept walking.

She pulled out her phone and looked at the incoming text message.

 _Energy is_ waning _. You'll need to find Tempus and wait for her to make another rip.  
_  
"Awesome" she whispered to herself. She looked up all around and tried to find Tempus.

"I'm here!" She shouted into the night. "You knew I'd come here! So, let's get down to this!"

She felt a gust as her hair whipped back. She stood still and felt the air around her change. It almost felt electric. The hair on the back of her neck was erect. She leant out her hearing and the buzz in the air indicated that Tempus was in the air behind her. She turned around and, sure enough, Tempus was floating but she didn't look well.

"Hello, Callista."

"Only my family calls me Callista and some teachers from the past, both on rare occasions. You're neither, you time traveling ass-hat."

Tempus laughed as her feet touched the ground.

"Are you sure you're up for this. It seems to me you've had a long night, a party and then Zod."

Callie's eyebrows rose. "You've been watching me."

"Of course. I needed to know the perfect time to execute my plan."

"You evil doers and your plans; it makes me look at organization in a whole new perspective."

She saw that Tempus was eyeing her wrist and Callie instinctively went to cover it.

"Nice watch."

"The better to tell time with."

Tempus' lip curled and she raised her hand, green energy emanating from it. It hit Callie square in the chest, which sent it to the ground. Her wrist fell under her and she heard a crack. Panicked, she looked at the device and the glass was split but the digital numbers were still visible, yet they were faded. She stood up and held her backside.

' _What is it with these guys and pushing me down on my ass?_ '

Callie took a deep breath and blew cold air at Tempus. Tempus was soon frozen in front of her.

"Cold hearted biznatch."

Callie checked the device again and now the numbers were fading in and out.

"Damn it."

She lightly tapped on it, but before she could examine it further Tempus began to shine through the ice. The glow was so powerful that the ice that she had been encased in melted faster than anything Callie had witnessed before. It was intense and she realized that Tempus was once again unstable. She was breathing heavily and shook off the last of the ice, now water.

"Time is a fickle thing, my dear. My time is running out as you can see, but I've used it well. I've watched from afar and learned from other's mistakes. I know history. I know key moments when life has changed for certain individuals. That orb is meant to open. An army _will_ be released. I'm going to make _sure_ it does. Zod has plans for the Earth and I quite enjoy them and want to see them through."

"Why would you want to do that?" Callie questioned.

"Because, if I get to have a hand in killing Superman or cause him to align with Zod, then my life will be complete since I will have ruined his."

Callie's eyes narrowed in fury. Tempus laughed as the glow surrounding her intensified. Callie jumped onto her. They scuffled for a bit, but Callie hung on. Deciding that she didn't want this to happen in the city, especially over Doomday's resting place, she held tightly as they zoomed through the sky. She flew to where it all began the Kent farm.

They were high in the sky. Tempus still struggled, but she wasn't as powerful as she once had been. The glowing heated up her skin and caused her to be slippery with perspiration, though Callie wouldn't give up. She tapped the device on her wrist and it started to blink. It was still set and all she needed was for Tempus to make her move. The move she made, however, was to again glow that putrid green color, which sent Callie spiraling down to the ground with the woman in hand.

She recovered quickly and brought Tempus up with her.

"Your family will fall…" Tempus gasped between breaths.

"You think you're so smart. You say you've seen history, but know nothing of my family. It doesn't matter what you have planned or what you do. If anything happens we'll deal with it the same way we always have: As a family. We'll always find each other."

The glowing intensified and Callie knew that Tempus wasn't in control as she was about to cause another rip in time. This was it. This was her moment. She leapt them into the air and hit the button on the side of the device that was preprogrammed. Everything around them was a beautiful blaze of colors. The beauty of the colors was soon masked by a horrid pain that ran through her body. She felt as if she was being ripped apart. She screamed, but sound was short lived as she felt herself break into a mass of particles and spread throughout time and space.

~/~

_Daily Planet Roof_

They watched their future daughter fly off into the sky to save the world and return to her own. They were delighted in the fact that she was the best parts of the both of them, but it couldn't overpower the ominous ambiance that had been left. Everything they had experienced since Callie's arrival would disappear. The laughs, the tears, the breakthroughs, and truths expressed would all be reset.

They understood. They hadn't lied about that, but it still was iniquitous of the universe to do that to them. But as they both had learned in their lives everything happened for a reason, the world gave them only what they could handle, and this was a time in their lives that had been set for a purpose. It being taken away was also for a purpose. Maybe it would give light to a new world. Maybe the events that had happened would happen again. It may not be exactly the same, but their feelings wouldn't change. They had been there all along and would come out when the time was right.

As they both stared into each other's eyes in silence, their facial expressions spoke the loudest of volumes. They held each other. They would hold each other until the end, whenever that would be.

"Lois, I—." Clark began.

She knew what he wanted to say but was resistant to hear it at a time like this.

"Clark, tell me when the world isn't ending."

He shook his head, his heart busting to get out the words that he had been yearning to say ever since she had disappeared. The words that have been interrupted in dreams and in real life. No, he was going to say them. Even if they both already knew, he was going to finally say them out loud. He had to.

"Lois, I've been trying to say this to you and if this is my last chance before everything is reset then I'm going to take my chance."

Lois swallowed as she gazed into his beautiful eyes. She sucked in a breath and bit her lip. She had waited to say the words too, to hear them, and he was right. They both knew, but this was their final chance to express it.

"Lois, I love you."

"I love you, too."

He beamed as he smiled at and she matched it. Her smile faltered a bit, but she tried to stay strong.

"Lois, what is it?" He asked.

"There's a part of me that believes everything that Callie said about us, but there's another part that is wondering what if something goes wrong? What if I never see you again?"

He bent his head down to hers and brought his hand up to her face, cradling it.

"You will."

They closed their eyes and let their faith and love surround them. Their lips met and they savored the feel, the taste, the pace. Through closed lids they could tell that something bright had engulfed them. They held each other tighter as their kiss lingered. A kiss of I love you. A kiss of thank you. The light was strong but they were stronger. So, in their kiss they told each other one last thing.

Until we meet again.

~/~

Callie was floating in light. Once the light dissipated she was suspended in the air of a blue sky over the barn. She could see herself and Tempus embroiled in battle and recognized it as the moments before she disappeared in 2032. She was currently a transparent figure, as was Tempus, and they were both drifting toward their past selves. She felt the impact as she collided into the corporeal body. She could feel Tempus under her grasp and remembered what Emil said. She had to get away. She had to let go. And she did.

The time on the watch moved a minute later than when she had left. She had done it. She was about to smile when, to her surprise, Tempus grabbed her wrist with the device. She heard it crack again and her eyes widened as she looked into Tempus' now black eyes.

"We're not finished yet."

There was another flash. The bright blue sky disappeared and was replaced by a night sky, then a blue sky, a sun, then a moon, a sun then a moon, a sun then a moon, until finally the sky settled on darkness. They both fell to the ground and Callie looked around her. They were still on the Kent farm, but she didn't have a good feeling about this.

The device on her wrist failed to show any numbers and Callie felt her stomach contract.

"What did you do!?" She screamed.

Tempus' fist came into contact with her face and she felt the blood spew out of her mouth. When she looked up Tempus had a smile on her face as she looked at the blood that adorned her knuckles.

Tempus then disappeared into the sky. When Callie stood up she turned a violent circle trying to get her bearings straight.

"What?" She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Oh, come on. This can't happen again. How can I go through this again?"

She saw a streak of light across the sky and then it was gone. Then she felt a rumbling in the distance.

"You're still here?" Tempus' voice said behind her.

"Where did you go?" Callie demanded.

Tempus smiled through her clammy state. "It is done. When I had broken into the vault the first time I hadn't realized what was needed. But now, his entire army will reign and Superman will be destroyed."

Callie realized where they were. Tempus had blasted them back to 2009 again. She had opened the orb. There were flashes in the sky going in all directions and Callie suspected those were Zod's army members being strewn across the earth.

"NO!"

Callie jumped on Tempus. She was on top and her fist connected with the woman's face numerous times. Tempus was growing even weaker; she could feel it, but a slight jolt of green startled Callie. The dose wasn't as much as before, but it was enough to suspend her actions.

Tempus coughed and Callie regained her awareness, fisting her hands on the woman's black leather jacket. She flew them high up into the air above the farm. She could tell that Tempus was mumbling something and listened intently to her.

"As all the Heavens were a Bell, And Being, but an Ear, And I, and Silence, some strange Race  
Wrecked, solitary, here –."

' _She's reciting poetry?'_

Tempus smiled and started to glow again, but this was different. This was more unpredictable than the other times she had seen it happen. She kept her grip and moved them closer to the farm. She could feel an incredible sense of déjà vu. Then it happened. It had become too much for Tempus to handle and she detonated.

The force of the explosion sent Callie reeling back. She heard a beep and saw that the chronosphere had lit up. She felt herself being sucked backwards. The force was too strong for her. She briefly looked down and saw she was hurtling toward the roof of the barn.

 _And then a Plank in Reason, broke,  
_  
Callie fell through the roof and hit a wooden beam.

 _And I dropped down, and down –  
_  
Breaking through the beam she felt herself falling further. She willed her flight to stop her still in the air, but her body would not comply.

 _And hit a World, at every plunge,  
_  
She broke through more wood, what she thought might have been a part of the loft, then down through the stairs. Once her back hit the ground, she felt debris rain down on her face as she groaned. Her eyes looked up through the hole in the ceiling and all she saw were a cluster of green.

 _And Finished knowing – then –  
_  
Then - there was darkness.

* * *

*Poem, Emily Dickinson's "I Felt a Funeral in my Brain."


	33. Epilogue: Goodnight, Goodnight

**Epilogue:** _**Goodnight, Goodnight** _

Callie groaned from being knocked out the second time within an hour. Whatever that blast of energy was had been a doozy. Tempus was gone though, and the device Emil had given her had been through the wringer. If she was going to have to start at square one again she was going to throttle something.

She coughed as debris still hung in the air and the night sky hung over her through the hole in the barn roof.

' _Great, I'm going to need to patch that again.'_

The whine of a dog and feeling of a slobbering tongue to the face drew her out of her thoughts.

"Ugh, Shelby. Come on." She complained as she sat up and pushed the dog away. When her eyes met with the canine's she gasped. "Krypto?"

She grabbed the dog and pulled him in for a hug. "Oh my god, Krypto! I can't believe it's you." She pulled back and took another glance of her best pal. "I've missed you so much."

She reluctantly let the dog go, stood up, and drank in the image of the barn around her. Her barn. She recognized everything in it. Hopping over the debris she had created, she skipped the broken steps and stood in the loft area. It was just as she had remembered. She then ran for the desk and boxes in the left corner.

"My stuff! My stuff is all here! I'm here!" Her breaths were panted as it all dawned on her. "I'm here. I made it home." She walked over to the window and saw lights on in the house. She used her superhearing and picked up her mother's voice.

_"NO! You listen to me. I want you to get in touch with him and let me know what he's found out. This is my daughter we're talking about!"_

"Mom." She whispered.

She ran down the stairs, over the debris, and out of the barn. Krypto was barking and trailing behind her as she sprinted for the door. She didn't know why she wasn't super-speeding in, but she didn't care. Her feet touching the soil at the hurried pace made her keep reveling in the fact it was all real. The soil was a part of the farm, her farm, the Kent farm 2032.

She burst the door open and stood in the doorway. Her mother was standing in her work clothes, her hair up in a haphazard bun, and a slight scowl on her face meant for whoever she was talking to. She was beautiful.

"Mommy." She said in a childlike voice.

Her mother turned around slowly and uttered the words, "I have to call you back," before hitting the end call button. She walked toward the kitchen and stopped, leaving a gap between them.

"Callista Larella Kent! Where the hell have you been?!" Her mother cried before hurrying to her.

Callie moved just as fast and grabbed hold of her mother. She made sure not to hold on too tightly, but all she could do was fist the clothes on her back. Callie took in her scent and cried into her shoulder.

"Mom, I missed you so much." She cried. "I was afraid I was never going to see you again."

Her mother kissed her forehead and sniffed back her tears. "I missed you, too."

"I'm so sorry, Mom. I didn't mean for this to happen, I swear. I just wanted to get home and back to you."

"I know, baby. And you made it. You made it home."

She held onto her mother for a few more minutes in silence before she heard a boy's voice from the stairs. "Callie!?"

She backed away a fragment and saw C.J. running toward her. He enveloped his arms around her waist.

"Where have you been?" He asked.

"It's a long story."

"One that I know we'll be hearing about in a little bit…" Her grandmother's voice said as she joined them from the other room. Callie let go of her mother to hug her grandma.

"I knew you'd be okay." She said as her slender fingers combed through Callie's hair. "We never gave up hope."

Callie let go of her and looked at all three of them. Her heart sank a little when she realized he wasn't there. He didn't know she was back yet.

"Where's Dad?"

Her mother's mouth opened, but then closed. Her eyes were targeted on something behind Callie. She turned her neck and viewed what her mother's gaze was locked on.

In the doorway her father stood frozen. He was dressed in his normal clothes, sans glasses, but they looked jumbled as did his hair, which looked windblown. The other thing she did notice was the colors he was wearing, blue shirt, with rolled up sleeves, and a red (askew) tie.

"Dad." She choked out.

She ran for him and jumped into his arms with a little more force than she had her mother, since she knew he could handle it. He held her just as tight and she felt her feet lift off from the ground. There were no words. She just began to cry. She let it all out. She even felt a few of his tears fall on her shoulder, too.

She melted into his embrace. She wanted him to know how sorry she was that she hadn't listened to him. That she had caused her family to worry about her absence. That she was so grateful to be home. That Clark Kent and Lois Lane were the most amazing people in the universe and she was so lucky that she was their daughter and the product of their sheer awesomeness.

She felt her mother step behind her and Callie turned so she could embrace them both tightly. She never wanted to let them go. She had also never felt so defenseless against tears in her life. She continued to cry—to let everything she had been holding for so long out. For a good few minutes there was no talking, only tears. Tears of regret. Tears of longing. And, most of all, tears of joy.

Finally, she cleared her throat and spoke.

"I missed you all so much," She declared again.

She wasn't sure they could hear her well, though, since her voice muffled because it was burrowed into her father's chest. His blue shirt was completely wet, but she was sure he wouldn't mind.

She turned her head to the side, wiping her eyes, and saw C.J. standing next to her.

"Get over here, little man."

He smiled and the four of them just stood there holding each other. She basked in the feeling—a feeling at times she hadn't been sure she would ever feel again. She felt whole.

"Young lady, I do believe you have some explaining to do." Her mother said.

"There's so much to say…" She sighed.

"We've got _time_." Her father replied.

She nodded knowing what he meant.

"Yeah, we do."

Callie took a deep breath as she finally released her parents and brother from the hug.

"I think we're all going to need to sit down for this."

*/*

"…Then she exploded and I thought that I was stuck in the past again, but I was here. I guess the device worked after all." She said then sipped some tea with honey her grandmother had made.

They were all sitting in the living room. Her grandmother was sitting in the chair, her little brother sat on the loveseat, and she was on the couch, wrapped in an old faded red blanket, leaning into her mother's side, while her father sat at the end.

Her mother started to laugh suddenly, but then contained herself.

She turned to her husband, "Sorry, I just keep seeing in my mind the images of Callie shooting Nerf balls at your head and you falling out of a tree."

"Ha. Ha." Her father replied in a dry tone.

They all had a good chuckle.

"Even though it was quite the adventure, it stinks I was stuck in the past for two months." Callie's eyes enlarged in horror as she turned to her brother, "C.J.! Your game! I missed it!"

"No, you didn't." He smiled, "It's next week."

Confused, she asked, "Next week? How long exactly was I away?"

' _Had the chronosphere still worked and brought me back to the day I left? But I fell through the roof at night, just before so it can be the exact moment like it was programmed. Time had to get messed up somewhere._ '

"Two days." Her father answered.

"Two days? Better than two months, I guess."

Her parents nodded in agreement with that statement.

"And you don't remember anything about me being there?" She questioned. "About Tempus, Zod, or the three of us together?"

Her mother shook her head with an amused grin and then turned to her right. "You?"

Her father shook his head ' _no_ ,' as well. Callie leaned forward and looked at him.

"Tempus said that she let the army out of the orb. What happened?"

"We had some speed bumps when it came to Zod and the Kandorians."

"Speed bumps?" Her mother snorted and her father glared at her in return.

"I like to think of them as speed bumps, yes."

" _Oookay_." She replied.

Callie smiled at the exchange. They never change. It was one of the best facts to know about her parents. It was why she had been able to survive in the past for as long as she did and why she had been able to get home.

" _Anyway_ , I was able to show them a better way of life and, even though Zod did mess up some of the good work that had happened, everything worked out. The Kandorians saw Zod for who he really was, they ascended to a place that they could call their own, and then sent Zod to the Phantom Zone as punishment."

"Until he broke out and had to be sent back again, of course." Her mother added.

"Right…" Callie could feel a memory then creep up.

All sorts of memories were creeping up if she were honest. She was puzzled to think what that actually meant and decided she didn't want to. Time travel and everything that went with it was beyond annoying. If everything was okay, she wouldn't question it.

Though, she couldn't say that completely. She _was_ curious by nature. Her parents' fault.

"And, Mom, when you were missing it was for like a month, right?"

"Three weeks, I think." Her father nodded to confirm.

"So coming back in June is still the same." She concluded.

"June? No, it was September." Her father replied, seeming very certain of that fact.

"September? But—." Then she heard Emil's words about the time lapse again. How time could fold and no one would notice. Time would just move on as nothing had happened. Three months had folded into three weeks she figured.

"A time lapse." She breathed.

"Time lapse?" Her father asked.

"Dr. Hamilton said that the rips Tempus had created, and traveling through them, could have a consequence. Time could fold and days, weeks, months, even years could be lost. When I went back in time Doomsday had struck in May and you said Mom came back in September. Boom, time lapse."

"I never even realized that," her mother commented in awe.

"He said no one would. I don't even want to try and figure out the how or why. Time traveling gives me a headache."

"Tell me about it. Those three weeks I lost were just from being in an apocalyptic future for like a day."

Callie perked up at this new information, "I never heard about this."

' _I thought she was with the Legion?_ ' Then it dawned on her, Tempus had succeeded in changing history, but like they had all hoped—everything had fallen into place.

' _I'll be damned_.'

Her parents coughed a bit and she could see their cheeks turning red.

"Some of the memories are fuzzy since I was suffering from PTSD because of them, but the ones I do recall are ones you don't want to know about. Trust me."

She narrowed her eyes and then they grew three sizes when she figured out what they would not divulge.

"Oh," was all that escaped her mouth.

"What?" C.J. asked curiously.

"Trust me, little bro, save yourself the time in therapy joint sessions with me and don't even try to figure it out. Keep your mind innocent."

"Uh, okay." He resigned giving her a strange look.

"Really?" Her mother groaned.

Callie could hear her grandmother, who had been silently listening the whole time, start to giggle.

"Please, don't encourage her, Mom."

"Oh, Clark. She's been through a lot."

He eyed Callie and playfully shook his head, then he grew more serious and asked, "So, about the past. I know what you told us, but you aren't glossing over things, right? You were treated okay?"

"You fed me pancakes." She smiled at her dad. "You even attempted to make them into bunnies."

"Well, then we _know_ she was well taken care of." Her mother smiled.

"Believe me, the two of you took great care of me. I wouldn't have made it through without you. Both present you and past you. You guys were all kinds of awesome. We were a family there. No matter what, we were a family."

"You hear that, honey? We were a family _and_ we're awesome."

Her father brought her mother into his lap. She let out a tiny yelp and was beaming. "I heard."

They started to kiss and her brother made a face while he covered his eyes. Callie would have done the same, but something inside her had changed. She was more appreciative of their love. Not that she wanted to watch this on replay all day, but doses of it were just fine by her.

When her parents broke apart they looked at her oddly.

"What? No comment like ' _ew, gross'_ or ' _get a room'_?" Her father asked.

"No." She shook her head. "It's nice."

"Nice?" Her mother hopped out of her father's lap and placed her hand on Callie's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

Callie started to laugh and swatted playfully at her hand. "I'm fine."

"Maybe she's a pod person." C.J. commented.

Callie rolled her eyes. "Hey! So, sue me if I think that my parents showing some affection is nice. I spent a few weeks where this guy," she pointed back at her father with her thumb extended, "was all mopey over his feelings."

"Ah, so you met _Sir Broods A Lot_?" Her mother laughed.

"Not funny." He replied.

"Oh, sweetie. I understand." She said patting her daughter's shoulder, "But, I lived through a lot more than you did."

"Actually, I beat you both." Her grandmother added.

"Mom!" Her father exclaimed.

Her grandmother started to laugh then looked at the clock. "Wow, it's getting late. I should be getting to bed."

"I think we all are in need of some good sleep." Her mother said sitting up. "Okay, little man, time to get ready."

With a groan her brother got up and headed toward the stairs. Her grandmother kissed on her the forehead goodnight and Callie gave her a quick hug.

"You are a very special girl, Callie and I'm so happy you're home."

"Thanks for everything, Grams."

She smiled and left the room. Now, it was just Callie and her parents.

"Before everyone heads off to bed, can we talk a little more?"

"Sure." Her father said.

"We might need some coffee."

*/*

As Callie took a sip of a fresh brew of coffee, she looked at her parents; _really_ looked at them.

"So, I know what you've said to me before and what I saw in the past, and just to make sure these things still happened… Dad kissed you as the Blur and you had your first real kiss at the Daily Planet and from the kisses is how you found about him, right?"

"Right. The Daily Planet kiss came first, we dated, and then during the whole Zod debacle was when he kissed me as the Blur in a dark alley. He didn't know I had pieced it together until he told me on his own for real. The perfect day at the Daily Planet, aside from getting my hand stabbed."

"That's right! Cat Grant stabbed your hand!" Callie exclaimed. "You glossed over that part when you first told me."

"It's not the part of the story I like to tell."

"And the part of you jumping Dad is?" Callie laughed.

He brought the cup to his lips and said, "She is the woman who can knock Superman off his feet. How could she not brag?"

Callie smiled at her parents. She was finally content. She felt a little strange, though. Her memories of being in the past weren't as vivid as they had been, but still intact, and she seemed to be remembering information about her life clearer than anything, things she hadn't even thought of when she was in 2009. She didn't know if that was a side effect of the time traveling or what. All she knew was that her parents were okay and moments that had happened while she was in the past still happened after everything had been reset. That's all she had wanted. The future was fine.

She let out a breath of relief, but she still wanted to know one thing.

"Who was she? Tempus, I mean. Why was she so hell bent on coming after you?"

She watched her father take a deep breath, like he had known she was eventually going to ask this question, and look her in the eye.

"Her name was Temperance Pushkin. She was an employee of LexCorp. There had been a project a long time ago that Lex had been preparing that got hijacked by someone else." Her parents shared a look and he continued, "Lex, in his crusade of recovering his past, must have stumbled on to the plans. About ten years ago, Temperance had been a part of the re-launched secret project and was the test subject. She had been working with a scientist, David Clinton, who she was also involved with. Something had gone horribly wrong and there was an explosion. Little did we know that Dr. Clinton had also been working on something called a Chronosbelt that was geared toward time traveling—another of Lex's projects. A prototype was in the room when it exploded."

Clark took another sip of his coffee and went on, "Temperance had been missing for a few hours and when she was found she claimed that the explosion had sent her forward in time. When authorities tried to take her in for questioning she exemplified extraordinary strength, among other various abilities. I had been a part of the team sifting through the explosion and tried to help deal with her. That's when she blasted me with the green energy. She had absorbed kryptonite in the explosion but could control it."

"Which is why that green stuff hurt like a mo-hurt a lot." She caught herself. "But, _Chronos_? That's the term Dr. Hamilton used with the watch. That name also sounds familiar."

"Yeah. That was the name Dr. Clinton adopted when he and Temperance decided to go on a crime spree. It took four of us on the JLA to take them both down. We had some time traveling mishaps, too. Luckily, we too were able to reverse any damage that had been done. The belt had been destroyed and Dr. Clinton and Temperance had both been taken into custody."

"The time traveling Bonnie and Clyde. I'll never forget that story." Her mother chimed in reminiscing.

" _Time Runs Out For Time Traveling Terrorists_. I remember that. That happened during that week in the summer C.J. and I were with General Grandpa. He read it to us. I didn't even make the connection."

He nodded and continued, "Well, there wasn't much publicity after it all happened. It was sad that it seemed like Temperance's mind had been altered. She was obsessed with her pocket watch and, of course like all the other criminals I've put away, threatened to get me back one day when ' _the time was right'_. It was thought best that she be locked away in a facility on Stryker's under heavy sedation. Everything was under control until recently she started exhibiting strange signs. That's when she broke out. Watchtower had been monitoring what she was doing, that is until…"

"Until she came here." Callie finished.

He nodded.

"Dad, how did she know about you? About coming here?"

"She had seen some things during our first encounter and most likely when she broke out found out more information through time travel. Besides, she worked for Lex and had access to files dating back to who knows when."

"That's maybe how she knew about the orb. Then she learned from Zod what to do. She wanted him to destroy you."

"And she failed." He commented.

"Thankfully." Her mother sighed.

"What happened after I disappeared?" She asked.

"We tried to track Tempus' whereabouts. We narrowed it down to 2009. John tried to telepathically link to you with the help of Emil, but it hadn't worked like we had hoped."

Callie smiled when she thought back to her nightmare and the man that had picked her and C.J. up, the man who was eating a cookie as he dropped them off at the farm.

"Believe it or not, he did get through to me. When Tempus tried to kill me for the _millionth_ time, that dream-nightmare thing I told you about, John was there. He got us to the farm."

"He said he did reach you for a moment." Her father confirmed.

"Now, I'm wondering if other things I saw were because of me or because you were trying to get through to me. Or maybe it was just our connection regardless."

"Our family does have a strong connection and to think that something was threatening that...it had us all devastated." Her mother said.

Callie nodded. "I know. I don't know how much I can apologize for what happened, but the whole time I was gone I feel like I learned a lot about myself. I learned I had to deal with some demons of my past, like Doomsday."

She saw her parents flinch and she continued, "I even got to meet Chloe. It was incredible and she said something to me that I think is true. She told me that maybe I had been sent there for a reason. She thought it was to help you get back on track after what had happened with Doomsday the first time around, but I thought it was something different. I still do."

She looked at them thoughtfully, "You told me stories about Jor-El and the trials he put you through before you finally became Superman. What if this was one of my trials? What if this was a kind of rite of passage? I went through so much and I like to think that I came out a lot stronger because of it. Every choice I made I made using the guidance the two of you had given me."

"And we're so proud of that, Callie. We really are." Her father stressed.

Her mouth curled up into a smile before she looked solemnly at the floor.

"I'm just sorry I couldn't save Chloe for the both of you. For all of us. I know how much you loved her and after being around her, I loved her, too. That was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. I wanted to tell her. I had even written her a note and left it, but everything you taught me about time travel, I knew I couldn't. So, I ripped it up. Of course that was before I knew about the whole reset thing, but at that time the thought of saving her and her life being traded for someone else, like one of you, Grams, C.J., anyone….I couldn't." She shook her head sadly.

"It's okay, Callie. We understand." Her mother reassured her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm happy you got to meet her."

"Me, too." She nodded before pulling away. "I know she'd be really proud of everything, of the both of you, of Watchtower, and all the other heroes. She'd be honored that the program that runs everything, is essentially her. She really loved you guys and the work she did."

Her father clasped her hand on top of hers in comfort. She placed her other hand on his and continued with what she wanted to say.

"I just also want you to understand that even when Emil made me the device I had a choice and chose for you not to remember. I just want you both to know that I _do_ listen. Even though I've made some mistakes, I do listen and you've both taught me so much. I was just happy to contribute in some form, even if it was in the past and even if you don't remember it."

"She does seem wiser, doesn't she?" Her mother grinned as she turned to her father.

"Callie, I know what you're getting at, but it's dangerous. All I've ever wanted was to protect you."

"I know, and I love that you do, but past Clark did want me to pass something along."

He raised an eyebrow, "What's that?"

"That I could be the world's most mild mannered citizen or its greatest hero, but the person who writes my story is me."

Her father sighed. "It does sound like me to throw my own father's words in my face."

A smile appeared when she added, "Past Lois also said that if you didn't at least consider it that she would, and I quote, 'kick your bulletproof ass'."

Her mother snorted. "Yup, I would say that."

Her father grinned and Callie matched it back.

"Consider it considered."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." He confirmed. "You held your own through all of this. And I know you can do it, that you can do _anything_ , but I need to set aside my worry for you. My parents were worried about me too, but they understood when I went off and put myself in risky situations in order to help. I just never wanted you to feel like you had to walk in my footsteps."

"That's my choice."

"I guess, maybe I learned something through all of this, too."

"And he also doesn't want me to kick his ass." Her mother smiled.

Her father sent her another glare her way and she leaned in and kissed him. "You know you're afraid of me." She said against his lips.

He started to laugh and nodded his head and kissed her back. "It's true."

"Cuteness overload." Callie commented.

They backed away from each other and looked at her. "How about we call it a night and resume this ' _Back to the Future'_ synopsis in the morning?" Her mother suggested.

"I'll go to bed in a minute." She said.

Her parents both gave her a kiss goodnight. She hugged them both again and felt all their love pour into her. When they let go and turned to leave, her parents held hands as they walked up the steps. They were so close together, as if they were joined. It was just like the last image she saw of their past selves.

"I kept my promise." She whispered and took another sip of coffee.

*/*

Going to bed in a minute mutated into an hour of Callie looking through old albums. New memories and old memories were all conjoined. She enjoyed looking at all the special moments. She remembered a time before this event, wishing that she could be there to witness these memories in person, but now she was happy to do it in her present instead of wishing to see the past.

The sound of footsteps behind her made her pull her head out of the old scrapbooks. She saw her brother rounding the couch and sitting next to her, a present in his hand.

"Couldn't sleep?" She asked.

He shook his head, "You?"

"You know how people talk about jet lag? I call what I'm feeling _time lag_."

Placing the wrapped gift in her lap he said, "I didn't get to give this to you. I was finishing it up on your birthday."

"So, baseball was an excuse?"

He nodded and then hung his head low and said, "...And when I got here you were gone."

She looked at his sad face and wrapped her arm around him, bringing him closer to her. "Well, I'm here now."

She ripped the paper off and saw that it was a leather bound photo album. It was quite beautiful. Usually, in this day and age, people had electronic photo albums, but this was old school and she loved it. It was like the books she had just been going through.

She picked through the pages and saw all the pictures she loved of her parents, of their family, of her, of C.J., and of her friends.

"Christopher Jonathan," she said using his formal name, "…this is amazing. You must have spent a lot of time on this."

He shrugged. She saw the sadness on his face. Her being absent must have really affected him.

"Callie?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really happy you're home."

"Can't be as happy as I am. I feel like I could do a jig, not just a jig, like a _Kryptonian_ jig."

"Does that even exist?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, but I'll make one up."

They both chuckled a little before the room grew silent again.

"What was it really like?" He asked.

She flipped a page and spotted a familiar photo from when her parents had started dating.

"It's sort of like these photographs. A snapshot of a time you weren't present for, didn't know them like we know them now. They weren't quite finished yet, but they were getting there." She smiled. "And they got there. We're still here. Everything's okay."

"Were you scared?"

She sighed, "I was terrified."

"Really? But I thought you weren't scared of anything."

"I was scared about not being able to get home, back to all of this." She then sighed again, "And some other stuff, too."

"I tried to not be scared. I tried to be strong for everyone, like you would be."

She ruffled his hair and pulled him in for a hug. "And I'm sure you did a great job, but Ceej don't ever think that you can't be scared. I thought that too for a while, but it's okay. When we're scared we work through it and we can become better and even stronger from it."

A small grin appeared on his face. "You sound like, Dad."

"Good." She smiled. "But you know what else?"

"What?" He asked.

"Even though we both made it through this, as a _precaution_ , we should probably do what we did when we were younger and felt scared. You remember?"

He nodded his head and jumped up from the couch. "I'll go get my stuff."

"Okay, I'll meet you up there."

She smiled and looked back down at the book. She flipped the page again and saw a picture of her parents with Chloe, Oliver, Emil, and, surprisingly, she recognized Tess Mercer. It was their bachelor/bachelorette party that they never liked talking about. She smirked when she remembered finding the video and splicing it up for their 20th wedding anniversary.

' _Good times. Good embarrassing times._ '

Seeing Tess threw her for a bit, she had made it through 2009. It was something else she attributed to a slightly altered timeline. It was good to see that, even though she had been affiliated with Zod, Tess had survived to become a member of the good guys. She'd have to ask more about it in the morning.

Pushing aside the oddity, the only thing she was focused on were the happy faces she recalled from her trip. Her hand instinctively went to her pocket and she felt something there. Digging she pulled out the photo-strip from the festival and the photo taken from Lois' birthday/her goodbye party. She smiled brightly. She didn't know how, but the pictures still existed.

"I'll never forget." She whispered.

Flipping to the back page she stuck both photos in and shut the book.

*/*

"You ready?" she whispered to her brother as they stood in front of the door.

He nodded as he held his things. She nodded back and slowly opened the door. She had used her superhearing just in case, because like hell she was going to witness _that_ on her first night back home, and when she heard them sleeping she waved C.J. to follow her in.

They tiptoed over to the bed and climbed into the middle, both clutching their blankets and pillows and squeezing in between the two bodies in the bed. The movement of the mattress had caused them to wake their parents, who both groaned at their presence.

"What's going on?" Her father asked, sitting up slightly.

Callie and C.J. still tried to make themselves comfortable. Her brother was by her father while she nestled up against her mother.

"Nothing, just trying to get to sleep." Callie replied.

"In here?" Her mother asked, groggy.

"Yup, like old times. We wanted to be together as a family tonight."

The door then opened again slightly. A giant mass jumped on the edge of the bed and made himself comfortable in a ball at their feet.

"Please tell me that dog did not just come up here." Her mother moaned.

"The dog didn't come up here." C.J. replied.

' _If it wasn't the dog, who would it be? Grandma?_ ' Callie snorted into her blanket to try and muffle the sound.

She felt her father turn in the bed and say, "How about we all just try and go to sleep?"

"Sounds good to me." Her mother replied, placing her hand gently on Callie's arm.

"Me, too." C.J. said.

Callie laid awake staring at the ceiling then turned and looked over her brother's head to face her dad.

"Dad." She whispered.

One eye opened up as he looked at her.

"What?" he whispered back.

"Can I ask you something that I didn't get a straight answer on in the past?"

"What's that?" He asked sleepily, his eyes closed once more.

"When it's not all slicked back, how _do_ you get your hair all poofy? I mean, _is_ there some kryptonian hair poofing gene or what? Though, Mom's hair has that really nice bounce, too. Do you use what she uses?"

"Goodnight, Callie." He groaned with a touch of a smile on his face.

"Ceej has nice hair, too. And my hair, of course, is totes amazeballs. …" She muttered.

"Goodnight, Callie." Her parents and C.J. said in unison.

She snuggled in further into the bed, feeling like she was in a cocoon of warmth and love, and let out a relaxed sigh. She was home, at last. It was going to be the first night in a long time that she would get a good night of sleep. She was with her family and everything was okay.

Callie closed her eyes and felt all her past worries melt away. Finally.

She smiled and let one last word grace her lips before she fell asleep.

"Goodnight."


End file.
